Can light be stopped in realistic metamaterials?

Reza, A.; Dignam, Marc M.; Hughes, Stephen

doi:10.1038/nature07359

Cited by 75 publications

(61 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…This ideal but impractical assumption was usually employed to approximately predict optical behaviors of plasmonic structures and metamaterials. For example, the metal loss was neglected in previous theoretical designs of trapped rainbow of THz waves in metamaterial 5 and plasmonic surface grating structures 6 , which resulted in a debate on the feasibility of the proposed ''stop'' light effect 23,24 . In recent years, singularities of two-crescent/ kissing cylinder structures were exploited, where the singularity point is never reached in a finite time since the mode conversion will not occur under the ideal adiabaticity condition with perfect smooth interfaces and uniform incident electric-field illumination 25 .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rainbow Trapping in Hyperbolic Metamaterial Waveguide

Zeng

et al. 2013

Cleo: 2013

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The recent reported trapped ''rainbow'' storage of light using metamaterials and plasmonic graded surface gratings has generated considerable interest for on-chip slow light. The potential for controlling the velocity of broadband light in guided photonic structures opens up tremendous opportunities to manipulate light for optical modulation, switching, communication and light-matter interactions. However, previously reported designs for rainbow trapping are generally constrained by inherent difficulties resulting in the limited experimental realization of this intriguing effect. Here we propose a hyperbolic metamaterial structure to realize a highly efficient rainbow trapping effect, which, importantly, is not limited by those severe theoretical constraints required in previously reported insulator-negative-index-insulator, insulator-metal-insulator and metal-insulator-metal waveguide tapers, and therefore representing a significant promise to realize the rainbow trapping structure practically. S low-light chips are believed to be promising for enhanced optical buffering, signal processing, and enhanced nonlinear optics. Unfortunately, the observation of slow light in conventional schemes based on BoseEinstein condensates 1 or atomic vapors 2 imposes severe constraints in experimental conditions, including narrow bandwidth, limited working wavelengths and strong temperature dependence. The slowed modes are difficult to be implemented into other materials or devices to develop practical applications. Consequently, solidstate nanophotonic structures that can achieve the slow light effect under room temperature are of particular interest [3][4][5] . Recent theoretical and experimental investigations on the ''trapped rainbow'' storage of light waves in metamaterials 6 and plasmonic structures 7-10 have generated considerable interest since various solid-state materials can be introduced in the design of nanostructures to trap electromagnetic (EM) modes. With the ability to produce highly confined and localized optical fields, it is believed that the conventional rules for light-matter interactions need to be re-examined, and new regimes of optical physics are expected. To develop applications based on this intriguing broadband slow light effect, various architectures have been proposed, including surface graded metallic gratings 9,10 , insulator-negative-index-insulator (INI) 6,11 , insulator-metal-insulator (IMI) 12 and metal-insulator-metal (MIM) waveguide tapers [13][14][15] . However, each proposal has its inherent difficulties resulting in the limited experimental realization of the rainbow trapping structures. For example, in our previous experimental reports, white light surface plasmon polariton (SPP) modes were launched into the on-chip gratings through nanoslits 9,10 , leading to a very weak total coupling efficiency. For INI waveguide tapers, there is currently no clear pathway for realizing materials with negative refractive indices over a broad spectral range 6 . In a recent theoretical investigation...

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rainbow Trapping in Hyperbolic Metamaterial Waveguide

Zeng

et al. 2013

Cleo: 2013

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“…A key issue to be addressed when attempting to slow down or stop guided light signals in nanoscale structures is how dissipative losses (38,(49)(50)(51)(52)(53) and back-scattering channels (54-56, 69) might affect the light-deceleration ability of these devices. Because the light slowing-down arises due to the presence of negative electromagnetic parameters ( Fig.…”

Section: Robustness In the Presence Of Dissipative And Scattering Chamentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultraslow waves on the nanoscale

Tsakmakidis¹,

Hess

Boyd

et al. 2017

Science

115

108

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There has recently been a surge of interest in the physics and applications of broadband ultraslow waves in nanoscale structures operating below the diffraction limit. They range from lightwaves or surface plasmons in nanoplasmonic devices to sound waves in acoustic-metamaterial waveguides, as well as fermions and phonon polaritons in graphene and van der Waals crystals and heterostructures. We review the underlying physics of these structures, which upend traditional wave-slowing approaches based on resonances or on periodic configurations above the diffraction limit. Light can now be tightly focused on the nanoscale at intensities up to ~1000 times larger than the output of incumbent near-field scanning optical microscopes, while exhibiting greatly boosted density of states and strong wave-matter interactions. We elucidate the general methodology by which broadband and, simultaneously, large wave-decelerations, well below the diffraction limit, can be obtained in the above interdisciplinary fields. We also highlight a range of applications for renewable energy, biosensing, quantum optics, highdensity magnetic data-storage and nanoscale chemical mapping.

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“…(13) with ε r = 1, ω pe = 2.03 eV and γ = 8.3 meV. The permeability is given by the Lorentz model 61 ,…”

Section: Negative Index Materials Slab Waveguidementioning

confidence: 99%

Optical forces between coupled plasmonic nanoparticles near metal surfaces and negative index material waveguides

2011

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We present a study of light-induced forces between two coupled plasmonic nano-particles above various slab geometries including a metallic half-space and a 280-nm thick negative index material (NIM) slab waveguide. We investigate optical forces by non-perturbatively calculating the scattered electric field via a Green function technique which includes the particle interactions to all orders. For excitation frequencies near the surface plasmon polariton and slow-light waveguide modes of the metal and NIM, respectively, we find rich light-induced forces and significant dynamical back-action effects. Optical quenching is found to be important in both metal and NIM planar geometries, which reduces the spatial range of the achievable inter-particle forces. However, reducing the loss in the NIM allows radiation to propagate through the slow-light modes more efficiently, thus causing the light-induced forces to be more pronounced between the two particles. To highlight the underlying mechanisms by which the particles couple, we connect our Green function calculations to various familiar quantities in quantum optics.

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Can light be stopped in realistic metamaterials?

Cited by 75 publications

References 11 publications

Rainbow Trapping in Hyperbolic Metamaterial Waveguide

Rainbow Trapping in Hyperbolic Metamaterial Waveguide

Ultraslow waves on the nanoscale

Optical forces between coupled plasmonic nanoparticles near metal surfaces and negative index material waveguides

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