Active tuning of mid-infrared metamaterials by electrical control of carrier densities

Opt Express. 2012 Jan 16;20(2):1903-11. doi: 10.1364/OE.20.001903.

Abstract

We demonstrate electrically-controlled active tuning of mid-infrared metamaterial resonances using depletion-type devices. The depletion width in an n-doped GaAs epilayer changes with an electric bias, inducing a change of the permittivity of the substrate and leading to frequency tuning of the resonance. We first present our detailed theoretical analysis and then explain experimental data of bias-dependent metamaterial transmission spectra. This electrical tuning is generally applicable to a variety of infrared metamaterials and plasmonic structures, which can find novel applications in chip-scale active infrared devices.

MeSH terms

  • Arsenicals / chemistry
  • Electric Conductivity
  • Equipment Design
  • Gallium / chemistry
  • Infrared Rays*
  • Manufactured Materials*
  • Metals / chemistry
  • Microscopy / instrumentation
  • Models, Theoretical*
  • Semiconductors / instrumentation
  • Surface Plasmon Resonance / instrumentation*

Substances

  • Arsenicals
  • Metals
  • gallium arsenide
  • Gallium