Fabrice Lemoult

Resonant metalenses for breaking the diffraction barrier.

We introduce the resonant metalens, a cluster of coupled subwavelength resonators. Dispersion allows the conversion of subwavelength wave fields into temporal signatures while the Purcell effect permits an efficient radiation of this information in the far field. The study of an array of resonant wires using microwaves provides a physical understanding of the underlying mechanism. We experimentally demonstrate imaging and focusing from the far field with resolutions far below the diffraction limit. This concept is realizable at any frequency where subwavelength resonators can be designed.

Negative refractive index and acoustic superlens from multiple scattering in single negative metamaterials

Metamaterials, man-made composite media structured on a scale much smaller than a wavelength, offer surprising possibilities for engineering the propagation of waves. One of the most interesting of these is the ability to achieve superlensing—that is, to focus or image beyond the diffraction limit. This originates from the left-handed behaviour—the property of refracting waves negatively—that is typical of negative index metamaterials. Yet reaching this goal requires the design of ‘double negative’ metamaterials, which act simultaneously on the permittivity and permeability in electromagnetics, or on the density and compressibility in acoustics; this generally implies the use of two different kinds of building blocks or specific particles presenting multiple overlapping resonances. Such a requirement limits the applicability of double negative metamaterials, and has, for example, hampered any demonstration of subwavelength focusing using left-handed acoustic metamaterials. Here we show that these strict conditions can be largely relaxed by relying on media that consist of only one type of single resonant unit cell. Specifically, we show with a simple yet general semi-analytical model that judiciously breaking the symmetry of a single negative metamaterial is sufficient to turn it into a double negative one. We then demonstrate that this occurs solely because of multiple scattering of waves off the metamaterial resonant elements, a phenomenon often disregarded in these media owing to their subwavelength patterning. We apply our approach to acoustics and verify through numerical simulations that it allows the realization of negative index acoustic metamaterials based on Helmholtz resonators only. Finally, we demonstrate the operation of a negative index acoustic superlens, achieving subwavelength focusing and imaging with spot width and resolution 7 and 3.5 times better than the diffraction limit, respectively. Our findings have profound implications for the physics of metamaterials, highlighting the role of their subwavelength crystalline structure, and hence entering the realm of metamaterial crystals. This widens the scope of possibilities for designing composite media with novel properties in a much simpler way than has been possible so far.

A polychromatic approach to far-field superlensing at visible wavelengths

Breaking the diffraction barrier in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum is of fundamental importance. Far-field subwavelength focusing of light could, for instance, drastically broaden the possibilities available in nanolithography, light-matter interactions and sensing at the nanoscale. Similarly, imaging with a nanometric resolution could result in incredible breakthroughs in soft matter and biology. There have been numerous proposals in this regard based on metamaterials, structured illumination methods or diffractive optical components. The common denominator of all these approaches resides in their monochromatic nature. Here we show that using polychromatic light in dispersive metamaterials allows us to circumvent many limitations associated with previous monochromatic approaches. We design a plasmonic metalens based on metallic nanorods that, when used with broadband light fields, can beat the diffraction limit for imaging and focusing from the far field.

Revisiting the wire medium: an ideal resonant metalens

This article is the first one in a series of two dealing with the concept of a ‘resonant metalens’ we introduced recently. Here, we focus on the physics of a medium with finite dimensions consisting of a square lattice of parallel conducting wires arranged on a sub-wavelength scale. This medium supports electromagnetic fields that vary much faster than the operating wavelength. We show that such modes are dispersive due to the finiteness of the medium. Their dispersion relation is established in a simple way, a link with designer plasmons is made, and the canalization phenomenon is reinterpreted in the light of our model. We explain how to take advantage of this dispersion in order to code sub-wavelength wavefields in time. Finally, we show that the resonant nature of the medium ensures an efficient coupling of these modes with free space propagating waves and, thanks to the Purcell effect, with a source placed in the near field of the medium.

Far-field sub-wavelength imaging and focusing using a wire medium based resonant metalens

This is the second article in a series of two dealing with the concept of a ‘resonant metalens’ we introduced recently. This is a new type of lens capable of coding in time and radiating efficiently in the far-field region sub-diffraction information about an object. A proof of the concept of such a lens is performed in the microwave range, using a medium made out of a square lattice of parallel conducting wires with finite length. We investigate a sub-wavelength focusing scheme with time reversal and demonstrate experimentally spots with focal widths of λ/25. Through a cross-correlation based imaging procedure we show an image reconstruction with a resolution of λ/80. Eventually we discuss the limitations of such a lens which reside essentially in losses.

Ultra small mode volume defect cavities in spatially ordered and disordered metamaterials

In this letter, we study metamaterials made out of resonant electric wires arranged on a spatial scale much smaller than the free space wavelength, and we show that they present a hybridization band that is insensible to positional disorder. We experimentally demonstrate defect cavities in disordered and ordered samples and prove that, analogous to those designed in photonic crystals, those cavities can present very high quality factors. In addition, we show that they display mode volumes much smaller than a wavelength cube, owing to the deep subwavelength nature of the unit cell. We underline that this type of structure can be shrunk down to a period close of a few skin depth. Our approach paves the way towards the confinement and manipulation of waves at deep subwavelength scales in both ordered and disordered metamaterials.

Crystalline metamaterials for topological properties at subwavelength scales

The exciting discovery of topological condensed matter systems has lately triggered a search for their photonic analogues, motivated by the possibility of robust backscattering-immune light transport. However, topological photonic phases have so far only been observed in photonic crystals and waveguide arrays, which are inherently physically wavelength scaled, hindering their application in compact subwavelength systems. In this letter, we tackle this problem by patterning the deep subwavelength resonant elements of metamaterials onto specific lattices, and create crystalline metamaterials that can develop complex nonlocal properties due to multiple scattering, despite their very subwavelength spatial scale that usually implies to disregard their structure. These spatially dispersive systems can support subwavelength topological phases, as we demonstrate at microwaves by direct field mapping. Our approach gives a straightforward tabletop platform for the study of photonic topological phases, and allows to envision applications benefiting the compactness of metamaterials and the amazing potential of topological insulators.

Subwavelength focusing in bubbly media using broadband time reversal

Thanks to a Multiple Scattering Theory algorithm, we present a way to focus energy at the deep subwavelength scale, from the far-field, inside a cubic disordered bubble cloud by using broadband Time Reversal (TR). We show that the analytical calculation of an effective wavenumber performing the Independant Scattering Approximation (ISA) matches the numerical results for the focal extension. Subwavelength focusings of λ/100 are reported for simulations with perfect bubbles (no loss). A more realistic case, with viscous and thermal losses, allows us to obtain a λ/14 focal spot, with a low volume fraction of scatterers (Φ = 10−2). Bubbly materials could open new perspective for acoustic actuation in the microfluidic context.

Far field subwavelength imaging of magnetic patterns

Far field imaging of subwavelength magnetic objects in real time is a very challenging issue. We propose an original solution based on a planar array of closely spaced split ring resonators. Hybridization between the resonators of such metalens induces subwavelength modes with different frequencies. Thanks to these high Q resonating modes, Purcell like effect allows an evanescent source, close to the metalens, to emit waves that can be collected efficiently in the far field. We present the first microwave experimental demonstration of such metalens to image of a subwavelength magnetic pattern. Numerical simulation shows that this approach is still valid at THz frequencies.

Time Reversal in Subwavelength-Scaled Resonant Media: Beating the Diffraction Limit

Time reversal is a physical concept that can focus waves both spatially and temporally regardless of the complexity of the propagation medium. Time reversal mirrors have been demonstrated first in acoustics, then with electromagnetic waves, and are being intensively studied in many fields ranging from underwater communications to sensing. In this paper, we will review the principles of time reversal and in particular its ability to focus waves in complex media. We will show that this focusing effect depends on the complexity of the propagation medium rather than on the time reversal mirror itself. A modal approach will be utilized to explain the physical mechanism underlying the concept. A particular focus will be given on the possibility to break the diffraction barrier from the far field using time reversal. We will show that finite size media made out of coupled subwavelength resonators support modes which can radiate efficiently in the far field spatial information of the near field of a source. We will show through various examples that such a process, due to reversibility, permits to beat the diffraction limit using far field time reversal, and especially that this result occurs owing to the broadband inherent nature of time reversal.