Controlling the plasmon resonance via epsilon-near-zero multilayer metamaterials

Abstract

Localized plasmon resonance of a metal nanoantenna is determined by its size, shape and environment. Here, we diminish the size dependence by using multilayer metamaterials as epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) substrates. By means of the vanishing index of the substrate, we show that the spectral position of the plasmonic resonance becomes less sensitive to the characteristics of the plasmonic nanostructure and is controlled mostly by the substrate, and hence, it is pinned at a fixed narrow spectral range near the ENZ wavelength. Moreover, this plasmon wavelength can be adjusted by tuning the ENZ region of the substrate, for the same size nanodisk (ND) array. We also show that the difference in the phase of the scattered field by different size NDs at a certain distance is reduced when the substrate is changed to ENZ metamaterial. This provides effective control of the phase contribution of each nanostructure. Our results could be utilized to manipulate the resonance for advanced metasurfaces and plasmonic applications, especially when precise control of the plasmon resonance is required in flat optics designs. In addition, the pinning wavelength can be tuned optically, electrically and thermally by introducing active layers inside the hyperbolic metamaterial.

Photonics of time-varying media

“…The authors suggested the use of TCOdielectric structures to accelerate the electron dynamics of the process and achieve faster modulation. Alternatively, multilayered ENZ metamaterials can be used to pin down and control the plasmonic resonance of coupled antennas depending on the ENZ frequency, 261 with optical modulation allowing for control of the antenna resonance via the multilayered substrate.…”

Photonics of Time-Varying Media

“…The authors suggested the use of TCO-dielectric structures to accelerate the electron dynamics of the process and achieve faster modulation. Alternatively, multilayered ENZ metamaterials can be used to pin down and control the plasmonic resonance of coupled antennas depending on the ENZ frequency, 254 with optical modulation allowing for control of the antenna resonance via the multilayered substrate.…”

Optimization of Epsilon-Near-Zero Multilayers for Near-Perfect Light Absorption Using an Enhanced Genetic Algorithm

“…ENZ photonics has attracted extensive attention in recent years, which is considered as a new platform for integrating photonic and nanophotonic devices [9]- [12]. In combination with ENZ materials, a variety of optical metamaterials and devices with different functions have been designed based on hollow waveguide structures [13], [14], grating structures [10], [15], [16], multilayer structures [17], [18] and complex hybrid structures [19], [20].…”

“…ENZ multilayer structures have many advantages, such as the ability to adjust the ENZ wavelength by changing the type of materials or changing the thickness proportion of different materials [17]. Through the designing of the multilayer structures, the enhancement of nonlinear optical effects [22], controlling of plasma resonance [20], modulation of material absorption [23]- [26], and ultra-fast optical tuning [27] have been realized. Among them, the absorption characteristics of materials can be applied in solar energy collection [28], heat emitters in thermo-photocells [29], photocatalysis [30] and etc.…”