Active Chiral Plasmonics: Flexoelectric Control of Nanoscale Chirality. Issue 1 (2nd December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gilroy, Cameron; McKay, Katie; Devine, Machar; Webster, Robert W. H.; Gadegaard, Nikolaj; Karimullah, Affar S.; Maclaren, Donald A.; Kadodwala, Malcolm
• Is Part Of: Advanced photonics research. Volume 2:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2020-12-02
• Subjects: active metamaterials -- chirality -- electromechanical -- flexoelectrics; Photonics -- Periodicals; 621.36505
• DOI: 10.1002/adpr.202000062
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2699-9293

Abstract

Abstract : The ability to electrically control the optical properties of metamaterials is an essential capability required for technological innovation. The creation of dynamic electrically tunable metamaterials in the visible and near infrared regions is important for a range of imaging and fiber optic technologies. However, current approaches require complex nanofabrication processes which are incompatible for low‐cost device production. Herein, a novel simple approach is reported for electrical control of optical properties which uses a flexoelectric dielectric element to electromechanically manipulate the form factor of a chiral nanostructure. By altering the dimensions of the chiral nanostructure, the polarization properties of light are allowed to be electrically controlled. The flexoelectric element is part of a composite metafilm that is templated onto a nanostructured polymer substrate. As the flexoelectric element does not require in situ high temperature annealing, it can be readily combined with polymer‐based substrates produced by high throughput methods. This is not the case for piezoelectric elements, routinely used in microelectromechanical (MEM) devices which require high temperature processing. Consequently, combining amorphous flexoelectric dielectrics and low‐cost polymer‐based materials provides a route to the high throughput production of electrically responsive disposable metadevices. Abstract : Innovation in metadevice technology requires electromechanical control of the form factor of nanostructures. Current methods for achieving such nanoelectromechanical control are incompatible with low‐cost mass production. A new simple approach convergent with mass production is described, which uses flexoelectric materials to achieve electromechanical control of nanostructure form factors.