Metamaterials with enhanced nonlinearity
AssigneeWashington University
InventorsJung-Tsung Shen, Daniel Ironside
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments provide metamaterials having an enhanced nonlinear response to light. The metamaterials are artificially manufactured materials having a nonlinear response to light greater than that typically found in naturally occurring materials. A two-dimensional periodic metal-dielectric array can be mathematically mapped as an effective uniform dielectric slab with enhanced optical nonlinearity. The enhanced nonlinearity is controlled by the geometry of the array. Further, the configuration of the array can be applied to form three-dimensional structures having an enhanced nonlinear response to light.
Claims20
An array comprising:
- a metallic film comprising a plurality of slits defined therethrough, said plurality of slits having a width a and a periodicity d;
- and
- a plurality of dielectric elements positioned within said plurality of slits, wherein a relationship is defined between a and d such that said array exhibits an enhanced nonlinear response to light transmitted through said plurality of slits.
A structure having an enhanced nonlinear response to light, said structure comprising:
- a first metallic plate comprising a plurality of slits defined therethrough;
- a second metallic plate comprising a plurality of slits defined therethrough, said second metallic plate substantially parallel to said first metallic plate;
- a plurality of dielectric elements positioned within said plurality of slits in said first metallic plate and said second metallic plate;
- and
- a shaft coupling said first metallic plate to said second metallic plate.
A method of assembling a metamaterial having an enhanced nonlinear response to light, said method comprising:
- providing a metallic film having a plurality of slits defined therethrough, the slits having a width a and a periodicity d;
- inserting, into each of the plurality of slits, a dielectric element, wherein a relationship is defined between a and d such that the metamaterial exhibits an enhanced nonlinear response to light transmitted through the plurality of slits.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.