Premium
Silicon‐Based Dielectric Metamaterials: Focus on the Current Synthetic Challenges
Author(s) -
De Marco Maria Letizia,
Semlali Sanaa,
Korgel Brian A.,
Barois Philippe,
Drisko Glenna L.,
Aymonier Cyril
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201709044
Subject(s) - metamaterial , materials science , optoelectronics , silicon , photovoltaic system , metamaterial absorber , optics , dielectric , absorption (acoustics) , nanotechnology , physics , tunable metamaterials , electrical engineering , composite material , engineering
Metamaterials have optical properties that are unprecedented in nature. They have opened new horizons in light manipulation, with the ability to bend, focus, completely reflect, transmit, or absorb an incident wave front. Optically active metamaterials in particular could be used for applications ranging from 3D information storage to photovoltaic cells. Silicon (Si) particles are some of the most promising building blocks for optically active metamaterials, with high scattering efficiency coupled to low light absorption for visible frequencies. However, to date ideal Si building blocks cannot be produced by bulk synthesis techniques. The key is to find a synthetic route to produce Si building blocks between 75–200 nm in diameter of uniform size and shape, that are crystalline, have few impurities, and little to no porosity. This Review provides a theoretical background on Si optical properties for metamaterials, an overview of current synthetic methods and gives direction towards the most promising routes to ideal Si particles for metamaterials.