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Active Phase Transition via Loss Engineering in a Terahertz MEMS Metamaterial
Author(s) -
Cong Longqing,
Pitchappa Prakash,
Lee Chengkuo,
Singh Ranjan
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.201700733
Subject(s) - metamaterial , materials science , terahertz radiation , microelectromechanical systems , optics , holography , wavefront , polarization (electrochemistry) , phase transition , optoelectronics , condensed matter physics , physics , chemistry
Controlling the phase of local radiation by using exotic metasurfaces has enabled promising applications in a diversified set of electromagnetic wave manipulation such as anomalous wavefront deflection, flat lenses, and holograms. Here, we theoretically and experimentally demonstrate an active phase transition in a micro‐electromechanical system‐based metadevice where both the phase response and the dispersion of the metamaterial cavity are dynamically tailored. The phase transition is determined by the radiative and the absorptive losses in a metal–insulator–metal cavity that obeys the coupled‐mode theory. The complete understanding of the phase diagram in a reconfigurable configuration would open up avenues for designing multifunctional metadevices that can be actively switched between different phases leading to a plethora of applications in polarization control, beam deflectors, and holographic metamaterials.