Self-assembled nanostructured metamaterials

TL;DR

This paper discusses the development of nanostructured metamaterials using bottom-up self-assembly techniques, offering a scalable alternative to traditional top-down fabrication for visible light applications.

Contribution

It introduces a novel bottom-up fabrication approach combining nanochemistry and colloidal self-assembly for creating complex metamaterials in visible light.

Findings

Successful synthesis of nanostructured meta-atoms via self-assembly.

Fabrication of 2D and 3D metamaterial samples with desired optical properties.

Potential for large-scale production of visible-light metamaterials.

Abstract

The concept of metamaterials emerged in years 2000 with the achievement of artificial structures enabling non conventional propagation of electromagnetic waves, such as negative phase velocity of negative refraction. The electromagnetic response of metamaterials is generally based on the presence of optically-resonant elements (or meta-atoms) of sub-wavelength size and well designed morphology so as to provide the desired electric and magnetic optical properties. Top-down technologies based on lithography techniques have been intensively used to fabricate a variety of efficient electric and magnetic resonators operating from microwave to visible light frequencies. However, the technological limits of the top-down approach are reached in visible light where a huge number of nanometre sized elements is required. We show here that the bottom-up fabrication route based on the combination of nanochemistry and of the self-assembly methods of colloidal physics provide an excellent alternative for the large scale synthesis of complex meta-atoms, as well as for the fabrication of 2D and 3D samples exhibiting meta-properties in visible light.