Wide-Angle Polarization-Controllable Structure Color Based on Metamaterial Resonators With Polarized Multiband Absorption Peaks

Abstract

The polarization-controllable structure color has been theoretically designed by utilizing metamaterial resonators with polarization-dependent multiband absorption peaks. Our designed nanostructure, consisting of the periodic circle and ellipse resonators, shows above 80% reflectivity from 502 to 553 nm (the green structure color) for TE-polarized incident white light, but above 80% reflectivity from 610 to 750 nm (the red structure color) for TM-polarized incident white light. Therefore, the structure colors gradually change from green to red when the polarization angles increasing from 0° (TE) to 90° (TM). The polarization-controllable structure colors come from the polarization-dependent multiband absorption peaks. When the polarization changes from TE to TM, the absorption peaks shift from 454, 624, and 714 nm to 454, 498, and 550 nm. The physical mechanism is explained by the electromagnetic fields distribution and the equivalent LC circuit model. It can keep the structure color for a wide incident angle.