volume | PIER Journals

Abstract

A compact chiral metamaterial is proposed and comprehensively investigated that can achieve circularly polarized wave emission from linearly polarized incident wave (giant circular dichroism) over dual bands and near Diodelike asymmetric transmission of linearly polarized waves. The chiral metamaterial also features exceptionally strong optical activity. For verification, two proof-of-concept slab samples are designed, fabricated and measured at microwave frequencies. Numerical and experimental results agree well, indicating that the former dual-band circular polarizer features high conversion efficiency around 8.1 and 9.9 GHz in addition to large polarization extinction ratio of more than 16 dB, while the latter chiral sample enables the near 90% cross-polarization transmission in one direction and almost 10% transmission in the opposite direction. The block "meta-atom" that utilized to build the ultrathin CMM slab is less than λ0/6.73 evaluated at operating frequency. Good performances of the two chiral slabs with simple and compact package suggest promising applications in the circular polarizers (circulators) and transparent linear polarization transformers or spectrum filters (isolators) that need to be interpreted with other compact devices.

1. Decker, M., R. Zhao, C. M. Soukoulis, S. Linden, and M.Wegener, "Twisted split-ring-resonator photonic metamaterial with huge optical activity," Opt. Lett., Vol. 35, 1593-1595, 2010.
doi:10.1364/OL.35.001593 Google Scholar

2. Kwon, D. H., P. L. Werner, and D. H. Werner, "Optical planar chiral metamaterial designs for strong circular dichroism and polarization rotation," Opt. Express, Vol. 16, 11802-11807, 2008.
doi:10.1364/OE.16.011802 Google Scholar

3. Rogacheva, A. V., V. A. Fedotov, A. S. Schwanecke, and N. I. Zheludev, "Giant gyrotropy due to electromagnetic-field coupling in a bilayered chiral structure," Phys. Rev. Lett., Vol. 97, 177401, 2006.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.177401 Google Scholar

4. Pendry, J. B., "A chiral route to negative refraction," Science, Vol. 306, No. 5700, 1353-1355, 2004.
doi:10.1126/science.1104467 Google Scholar

5. Plum, E., J. Zhou, J. Dong, V. A. Fedotov, T. Koschny, C. M. Soukoulis, and N. I. Zheludev, "Metamaterial with negative index due to chirality," Phys. Rev. B, Vol. 79, 035407, 2009.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.79.035407 Google Scholar

6. Wongkasem, N., A. Akyurtlu, K. A. Marx, Q. Dong, J. Li, and W. D. Goodhue, "Development of chiral negative refractive index metamaterials for the terahertz frequency regime," IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., Vol. 55, No. 11, 3052-3062, Nov. 2007.
doi:10.1109/TAP.2007.909419 Google Scholar

7. Wu, Z., B. Q. Zhang, and S. Zhong, "A double-layer chiral metamaterial with negative index," Journal of Electromagnetic Waves and Applications, Vol. 24, No. 7, 983-992, 2010.
doi:10.1163/156939310791285173 Google Scholar

8. Li, J., F.-Q. Yang, and J.-F. Dong, "Design and simulation of L-shaped chiral negative refractive index structure," Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 116, 395-408, 2011. Google Scholar

9. Zarifi, D., M. Soleimani, V. Nayyeri, and J. Rashed-Mohassel, "On the miniaturization of semiplanar chiral metamaterial structures," IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., Vol. 60, No. 12, 5768-5776, 2012.
doi:10.1109/TAP.2012.2214015 Google Scholar

10. Plum, E., V. A. Fedotov, and N. I. Zheludev, "Planar metamaterial with transmission and reflection that depend on the direction of incidence," Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 94, 131901, 2009.
doi:10.1063/1.3109780 Google Scholar

11. Menzel, C., C. Helgert, C. Rockstuhl, E.-B. Kley, A. TÄunnermann, T. Pertsch, and F. Lederer, "Asymmetric transmission of linearly polarized light at optical metamaterials," Phys. Rev. Lett., Vol. 104, 253902, 2010.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.104.253902 Google Scholar

12. Huang, C., Y. Feng, J. Zhao, Z.Wang, and T. Jiang, "Asymmetric electromagnetic wave transmission of linear polarization via polarization conversion through chiral metamaterial structures," Phys. Rev. B, Vol. 85, 195131, 2012.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.85.195131 Google Scholar

13. Cheng, Y., Y. Nie, X. Wang, and R. Gong, "An ultrathin transparent metamaterial polarization transformer based on a twist-split-ring resonator," Appl. Phys. A, Vol. 111, 209-215, 2013.
doi:10.1007/s00339-013-7546-1 Google Scholar

14. Shi, J. H., Z. Zhu, H. F. Ma, W. X. Jiang, and T. J. Cui, "Tunable symmetric and asymmetric resonances in an asymmetrical split ring metamaterial," J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 112, 073522, 2012.
doi:10.1063/1.4757961 Google Scholar

15. Mutlu, M., A. E. Akosman, A. E. Serebryannikov, and E. Ozbay, "Diodelike asymmetric transmission of linearly polarized waves using magnetoelectric coupling and electromagnetic wave tunneling," Phys. Rev. Lett., Vol. 108, 213905, 2012.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.213905 Google Scholar

16. Gansel, J. K., G.M. Thiel, M. S. Rill, M. Decker, K. Bade, V. Saile, von Freymann, S. Linden, and M. Wegener, "Gold helix photonic metamaterial as broadband circular polarizer," Science, Vol. 325, No. 5947, 1513-1515, 2009.
doi:10.1126/science.1177031 Google Scholar

17. Euler, M., V. Fusco, R. Cahill, and R. Dickie, "325 GHz single layer sub-millimeter wave FSS based split slot ring linear to circular polarization convertor," IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., Vol. 58, No. 7, 2457-2459, 2010.
doi:10.1109/TAP.2010.2048874 Google Scholar

18. Wu, C., H. Li, X. Yu, F. Li, H. Chen, and C. T. Chan, "Metallic helix array as a broadband wave plate," Phys. Rev. Lett., Vol. 107, 177401, 2011.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.177401 Google Scholar

19. Zhao, Y., M. A. Belkin, and A. Alµu, "Twisted optical metamate-rials for planarized ultrathin broadband circular polarizers," Nat. Commun., Vol. 3, 870, 2012.
doi:10.1038/ncomms1877 Google Scholar

20. Ye, Y., X. Li, F. Zhuang, and S.-W. Chang, "Homogeneous circular polarizers using a bilayered chiral metamaterial," Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 99, 031111, 2011.
doi:10.1063/1.3615054 Google Scholar

21. Mutlu, M., A. E. Akosman, A. E. Serebryannikov, and E. Ozbay, "Asymmetric chiral metamaterial circular polarizer based on four U-shaped split ring resonators," Opt. Lett., Vol. 36, 1653-1655, 2011.
doi:10.1364/OL.36.001653 Google Scholar

22. Ma, X., C. Huang, M. Pu, C. Hu, Q. Feng, and X. Luo, "Multi-band circular polarizer using planar spiral metamaterial structure," Opt. Express, Vol. 20, No. 14, 16050-16058, 2012.
doi:10.1364/OE.20.016050 Google Scholar

23. Xu, H.-X., G.-M. Wang, M. Q. Qi, T. Cai, and T. J. Cui, "Compact dual-band circular polarizer using twisted Hilbert-shaped chiral metamaterial," Opt. Express, Vol. 21, No. 21, 24912-24921, 2013.
doi:10.1364/OE.21.024912 Google Scholar

24. Yana, S. and G. A. E. Vandenbosch, "Compact circular polarizer based on chiral twisted double split-ring resonator," Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 102, 103503, 2013.
doi:10.1063/1.4794940 Google Scholar

25. Chin, J. Y., J. N. Gollub, J. J. Mock, R. Liu, C. Harrison, D. R. Smith, and T. J. Cui, "An effcient broadband metamaterial wave retarder," Opt. Express, Vol. 17, 7640-7647, 2009.
doi:10.1364/OE.17.007640 Google Scholar

26. Ye, Y. and S. He, "90 polarization rotator using a bilayered chiral metamaterial with giant optical activity," Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 96, 203501, 2010.
doi:10.1063/1.3429683 Google Scholar

27. Song, K., X. P. Zhaoa, Q. H. Fu, Y. H. Liu, and W. R. Zhu, "Wide-angle 90-polarization rotator using chiral metamaterial with negative refractive index," Journal of Electromagnetic Waves and Applications, Vol. 26, No. 14--15, 1967-1976, 2012.
doi:10.1080/09205071.2012.723673 Google Scholar

28. Song, K., Y. H. Liu, Q. Fu, X. P. Zhao, C. R. Luo, and W. R. Zhu, "90 polarization rotator with rotation angle independent of substrate permittivity and incident angles using a composite chiral metamaterial," Opt. Express, Vol. 21, 7439-7446, 2013.
doi:10.1364/OE.21.007439 Google Scholar

29. Mutlu, M. and E. Ozbay, "A transparent 90 polarization rotator by combining chirality and electromagnetic wave tunneling," Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 100, 051909, 2012.
doi:10.1063/1.3682591 Google Scholar

30. Shi, J. H., H. F. Ma, W. X. Jiang, and T. J. Cui, "Multiband stereometamaterial-based polarization spectral filter," Phys. Rev. B, Vol. 86, 035103, 2012.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.86.035103 Google Scholar

31. Zari, D., H. Oraizi, and M. Soleimani, "Improved performance of circularly polarized antenna using semi-planar chiral metamaterial covers," Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 123, 337-354, 2012.
doi:10.2528/PIER11110506 Google Scholar

32. Monzon, C. and D. W. Forester, "Negative refraction and focusing of circularly polarized waves in optically active media," Phys. Rev. Lett., Vol. 95, 123904, 2005.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.123904 Google Scholar

33. Wang, B., T. Koschny, and C. M. Soukoulis, "Wide-angle and polarization-independent chiral metamaterial absorber," Phys. Rev. B, Vol. 80, 033108, 2009.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.80.033108 Google Scholar

34. Xu, H.-X., G.-M. Wang, M.-Q. Qi, J.-G. Liang, J.-Q. Gong, and Z.-M. Xu, "Triple-band polarization-insensitive wide-angle ultraminiature metamaterial transmission line absorber," Phys. Rev. B, Vol. 86, 205104, 2012.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.86.205104 Google Scholar

35. Xu, , H.-X., G.-M. Wang, M. Q. Qi, L. Li, and T. J. Cui, "Three-dimensional super lens composed of fractal left-handed materials," Adv. Opt. Mater., Vol. 1, 495-502, 2013.
doi:10.1002/adom.201300023 Google Scholar

36. Xu, H. X., G. M. Wang, and M. Q. Qi, "Hilbert-shaped magnetic waveguided metamaterials for electromagnetic coupling reduction of microstrip antenna array," IEEE Trans. Magnetics, Vol. 49, No. 4, 1526-1529, 2013.
doi:10.1109/TMAG.2012.2230272 Google Scholar

37. Baena, J. D., J. Bonache, F. Martin, R. M. Sillero, F. Falcone, T. Lopetegi, et al. "Equivalent-circuit models for split-ring resonators and complementary split-ring resonators coupled to planar transmission lines," IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech., Vol. 53, No. 4, 1451-1461, 2005.
doi:10.1109/TMTT.2005.845211 Google Scholar

Dr. He-Xiu Xu

Professor Guang-Ming Wang

Dr. Mei-Qing Qi

Dr. Tong Cai