Electromagnetic wave diffraction by periodic planar metamaterials with nonlinear constituents

TL;DR

This paper introduces a theory for enhancing nonlinear effects in thin planar metamaterials with trapped-mode resonances, enabling low-intensity bistability and sharp resonant reflection and transmission.

Contribution

It proposes a novel design of all-dielectric silicon-based metamaterials with high-Q trapped-mode resonances for nonlinear optical applications.

Findings

Demonstrates bistable response at low input intensities

Designs a low-loss silicon-based metamaterial with sharp resonances

Envisions applications in quantum dot luminescence enhancement and spaser development

Abstract

We present a theory which explains how to achieve an enhancement of nonlinear effects in a thin layer of nonlinear medium by involving a planar periodic structure specially designed to bear a trapped-mode resonant regime. In particular, the possibility of a nonlinear thin metamaterial to produce the bistable response at a relatively low input intensity due to a large quality factor of the trapped-mode resonance is shown. Also a simple design of an all-dielectric low-loss silicon-based planar metamaterial which can provide an extremely sharp resonant reflection and transmission is proposed. The designed metamaterial is envisioned for aggregating with a pumped active medium to achieve an enhancement of quantum dots luminescence and to produce an all-dielectric analog of a 'lasing spaser'.