Hyperbolic Metamaterials: Design, Fabrication, and Applications of Ultra-Anisotropic Nanomaterials

Abstract

Hyperbolic metamaterial (HMM) is a non-magnetic extremely anisotropic nanostructure that cannot be found in nature at optical frequencies having an open hyperboloid iso-frequency surface. Interestingly, these anisotropic media support highly confined wavevector modes (high-k modes) in addition to surface plasmon modes within the structure due to hyperbolic dispersion. The high-k modes in an anisotropic hyperbolic metamaterials are conventionally refereed to as volume plasmon polaritons (VPPs) or bulk Bloch plasmon polaritons (BPPs) . Since BPPs are highly confined within the entire structure, the excitation, collection and control those modes at optical frequencies are very challenging. Here, the focus will be on the excitation and collection of bulk plasmon polaritons from anisotropic hyperbolic metamaterials at optical frequencies using the grating coupling principle. In this chapter, the basic properties of hyperbolic metamaterials are first introduced. Then we give a comprehensive overview, describing on design, fabrication and characterization of grating coupled anisotropic hyperbolic metamaterials (GCAHMs) in a wide wavelength range, from visible to near infrared. Numerical simulation results supporting the obtained experimental data are also presented. Finally, we describe potential applications of GCAHMs in photonics and bio-medical research with concluding remarks.