Enhanced nonlinear effects in metamaterials and plasmonic materials

Abstract

In this paper, we discuss anomalous and enhanced nonlinear effects available when combining nonlinear optical materials with plasmonic metamaterials. Narrow periodic apertures filled with Kerr nonlinear materials are carved in a plasmonic screen. Large field enhancement confined inside each slit may be obtained, in particular when we operate at the cut-off of this array of plasmonic channels. This ensures a significant boosting of nonlinear optical effects, leading to strong optical bistable performance. New exciting venues for applications are opened with the aforementioned novel nonlinear devices.