Large group delay in a microwave metamaterial analog of electromagnetically induced reflectance.

Abstract

Recently reported metamaterial (MM) analogs of electromagnetically induced reflectance (EIR) enable a unique route to endow classical optical structures with aspects of quantum optical systems. This method opens up many fascinating prospects on novel optical components, such as slow light units, highly sensitive sensors, and nonlinear devices. Here we designed and simulated a microwave MM made from aluminum thin film to mimic the EIR system. High reflectance of about 99 percent and also a large group index at the reflectance window of about 243 are demonstrated, which mainly arise from the enhanced coupling between radiative and nonradiative elements. The interaction between the elements of the unit cell, induced directly or indirectly by the incident electromagnetic wave, leads to a reflectance window, resembling the classical analog of EIR. This reflectance window, caused by the coupling of radiative-nonradiative modes, can be continuously tuned in a broad frequency regime. The strong normal phase dispersion in the vicinity of this reflectance window results in the slow light effect. This scheme provides an alternative way to achieve tunable slow light in a broad frequency band and can find important applications in active and reversibly tunable slow light devices.