Bong Jun Kim

Active terahertz nanoantennas based on VO2 phase transition.

Unusual performances of metamaterials such as negative index of refraction, memory effect, and cloaking originate from the resonance features of the metallic composite atom(1-6). Indeed, control of metamaterial properties by changing dielectric environments of thin films below the metallic resonators has been demonstrated(7-11). However, the dynamic control ranges are still limited to less than a factor of 10,(7-11) with the applicable bandwidth defined by the sharp resonance features. Here, we present ultra-broad-band metamaterial thin film with colossal dynamic control range, fulfilling present day research demands. Hybridized with thin VO(2) (vanadium dioxide) (12-18) films, nanoresonator supercell arrays designed for one decade of spectral width in terahertz frequency region show an unprecedented extinction ratio of over 10000 when the underlying thin film experiences a phase transition. Our nanoresonator approach realizes the full potential of the thin film technology for long wavelength applications.

Nanopattern enabled terahertz all-optical switching on vanadium dioxide thin film

We demonstrate ultrafast all-optical control of terahertz (THz) radiation through nanoresonators, slot antennas with a hundred micron length but submicron width in thin gold layers, fabricated on vanadium dioxide (VO2) thin films. Our THz nanoresonators show almost perfect transmission at resonance. By virtue of phase transition of VO2 from insulating to metallic state, induced in subpicosecond time scale by moderate optical pump, ultrafast control of THz transmission is enabled. This is compared to bare VO2 films where no switching dynamics are observed under similar conditions.

Electrical control of terahertz nano antennas on VO2 thin film

We demonstrate an active metamaterial device that allows to electrically control terahertz transmission over more than one order of magnitude. Our device consists of a lithographically defined gold nano antenna array fabricated on a thin film of vanadium dioxide (VO(2)), a material that possesses an insulator to metal transition. The nano antennas let terahertz (THz) radiation funnel through when the VO(2) film is in the insulating state. By applying a dc-bias voltage through our device, the VO(2) becomes metallic. This electrically shorts the antennas and therefore switches off the transmission in two distinct regimes: reversible and irreversible switching.

Giant nonlinear response of terahertz nanoresonators on VO2 thin film

We report on an order of magnitude enhanced nonlinear response of vanadium dioxide thin film patterned with nanoresonators--nano slot antennas fabricated on the gold film. Transmission of terahertz radiation, little affected by an optical pumping for the case of bulk thin film, can now be completely switched-off: DeltaT/T approximately -0.9999 by the same optical pumping power. This unprecedentedly large optical pump-terahertz probe nonlinearity originates from the insulator-to-metal phase transition drastically reducing the antenna cross sections of the nanoresonators. Our scheme enables nanoscale-thin film technology to be used for all-optical switching of long wavelength light.

Temperature-dependent transport properties in vanadium dioxide thin films

In VO2, which is a promising strongly correlated material of electro-optics, temperature-dependent electrical transport properties were investigated by using ordinary Hall effect measurement. The interesting variation on the near boundary of insulator-to-metal transition was observed.

Electrical Switching of Terahertz Radiation on Vanadium Dioxide Thin Film Fabricated with Nano Antennas

Electrical switching of terahertz radiation through nano antennas on VO2 thin film is demonstrated and is compared with bare VO2. Rectangular apertures act as slot antennas which attract terahertz radiation when VO2 is in semi‐conducting state. These antennas are turned‐off when VO2 becomes metallic by bias, giving an enhanced control of transmission.

Ultrabroadband metamaterial with full transmission control

We study log periodic nanoresonators on VO2 thin film, amplifying available dynamic range for extinction and transmission. Over 1,000:1 extinction ratio for the nano-pattern is achieved when the film undergoes insulator-to-metal phase transition, compared with 10:1 ratio for the unpatterned cases.

Electrical control of terahertz radiation through nanoresonators on VO 2

We demonstrate electrical control of terahertz radiation through nanoresonators on VO2 thin film. By electrically induced insulator-to-metal phase transition, terahertz radiation can be switched-off. Transmission is decreased by one order of magnitude even when the film thickness is in nanoscale.