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Updated: Feb 3, 2026
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Fabricating Metamaterials Using the Fiber Drawing Method
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Giant Electro-Optical Effect through Electrostriction in a Nanomechanical Metamaterial
Artemios Karvounis1, Behrad Gholipour1,2, Kevin F MacDonald1
1Optoelectronics Research Centre and Centre for Photonic Metamaterials, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|November 7, 2018
Summary
Artificial metamaterials exhibit electrostriction, a property causing mechanical deformation under electric fields. This leads to significant optical changes, enabling new electro-optic modulators for visible to near-infrared light applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Optoelectronics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Electrostriction is the mechanical deformation of dielectrics under an electric field.
- Existing electro-optic devices often have limitations in speed and efficiency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate an artificial electrostrictive metamaterial nanostructure.
- To show its application in electro-optic modulation for visible to near-infrared spectra.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of metamaterial nanostructures using silicon and indium tin oxide nanowires.
- Application of electric fields to induce structural deformation and measure optical transmission/reflection changes.
- Characterization of electrostriction and electro-optic coefficients.
Main Results:
- Reversible structural deformation of metamaterial nanostructures under electric fields.
- Substantial changes in optical transmission and reflection observed.
- Demonstration of a modulator at 1550 nm with high electrostriction and electro-optic coefficients.
- Achieved transmission changes up to 3.5% with a 500 mV signal at 6.5 MHz.
Conclusions:
- Artificial electrostrictive metamaterials offer a strong electro-optic effect.
- These metamaterials are suitable for electro-optic modulators in the visible to near-infrared spectrum.
- Potential applications include laser Q-switching and mode-locking at megahertz frequencies.
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