Optical loss compensation in a bulk left-handed metamaterial by the gain in quantum dots

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how embedding quantum dots with gain in a bulk left-handed metamaterial can compensate optical losses, enabling stable, ultralow-loss propagation at specific frequencies.

Contribution

It introduces a method to achieve optical loss compensation in bulk left-handed metamaterials using quantum dot gain, enhancing their practical applicability.

Findings

Optical resonance enhancement at around 200 THz confirmed.

Loss can be stabilized and minimized with appropriate gain and thickness.

Left-handed response persists with ultralow loss under certain conditions.

Abstract

A bulk left-handed metamaterial with fishnet structure is investigated to show the optical loss compensation via surface plasmon amplification, with the assistance of a Gaussian gain in PbS quantum dots. The optical resonance enhancement around 200 THz is confirmed by the retrieval method. By exploring the dependence of propagation loss on the gain coefficient and metamaterial thickness, we verify numerically that the left-handed response can endure a large propagation thickness with ultralow and stable loss under a certain gain coefficient.