Metamaterials Controlled with Light

Abstract

We suggest and verify experimentally the concept of functional metamaterials whose properties are remotely controlled by illuminating the metamaterial with a pattern of visible light. In such metamaterials arbitrary gradients of the effective material parameters can be achieved simply by adjusting the profile of illumination. We fabricate such light-tunable microwave metamaterials and demonstrate their unique functionalities for reflection, shaping, and focusing of electromagnetic waves.