Optical metamaterials: Design, up-scalable fabrication and characterization

by Mayte Gómez, Nanostructured Materials for Optoelectronics and Energy Harvesting (NANOPTO) Group

Date: Friday, 18 September 2020
Time: 9:30 am
Venue: ICMAB - Meeting Room (VIDEOCONFERENCE). Register here to attend the PhD Thesis defense via Zoom. 

Abstract: Metamaterials are artificially structured materials, thoroughly engineered for achieving electromagnetic properties not observed in nature such as the negative refractive index. The purpose of this thesis is the development of up-scalable optical metamaterials that can be easily incorporated into actual devices. We report different approaches for the cost-effective fabrication of fishnet metamaterials made of gold and air layers perforated by dielectric periodic arrays. By combining colloidal lithography, nanoimprinting and electrodeposition, we successfully produce fishnet metamaterials over centimeter sized surfaces. We study theoretically and experimentally the influence of the constituent dimensions. The proper design leads to strong negative refractive indices at visible and near infrared wavelengths. Finally, we demonstrate the application of these metamaterials as optical sensors when embedding liquids through the air cavities.

Supervisors:

• Serge Ravaine, Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal (CRPP), France
• Agustín Mihi, NANOPTO Group, ICMAB

PhD Committee:

• President: Mona Tréguer-Delapierre, Institut de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Bordeaux (ICMCB), France
• Secretary: Gervasi Herranz, ICMAB, Spain
• Vocal 1: Béatrice Dagens, Centre de Nanoscience et de Nanotechnologie (CN2), France
• Vocal 2: David Grosso, Aix-Marseille Université, France
• Vocal 3: Álvaro Blanco, Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM), Spain

Figure: Photonic architectures in metamaterials.