Mohammad Esmail Aryaee Panah

Enhancing Optical Forces in InP-Based Waveguides

Cantilever sensors are among the most important microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), which are usually actuated by electrostatic forces or piezoelectric elements. Although well-developed microfabrication technology has made silicon the prevailing material for MEMS, unique properties of other materials are overlooked in this context. Here we investigate optically induced forces exerted upon a semi-insulating InP waveguide suspended above a highly doped InP:Si substrate, in three different regimes: the epsilon-near-zero (ENZ), with excitation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) and phonons excitation. An order of magnitude amplification of the force is observed when light is coupled to SPPs, and three orders of magnitude amplification is achieved in the phonon excitation regime. In the ENZ regime, the force is found to be repulsive and higher than that in a waveguide suspended above a dielectric substrate. Low losses in InP:Si result in a big propagation length. The induced deflection can be detected by measuring the phase change of the light when passing through the waveguide, which enables all-optical functioning, and paves the way towards integration and miniaturization of micro-cantilevers. In addition, tunability of the ENZ and the SPP excitation wavelength ranges, via adjusting the carrier concentration, provides an extra degree of freedom for designing MEMS devices.

Surface waves on metal-dielectric metamaterials

In this paper we analyze surface electromagnetic waves supported at an interface between an isotropic medium and an effective anisotropic material that can be realized by alternating conductive and dielectric layers with deep subwavelength thicknesses. This configuration can host various types of surface waves and, therefore, can serve as a platform allowing many applications for surface photonics. Most of these surface waves are directional and their propagation direction is sensitive to permittivities of the media forming the interface. Hence, their propagation can be effectively controlled by changing a wavelength or material parameters. We discover that two new types of surface waves with complex dispersion exist for a uniaxial medium with both negative ordinary and extraordinary permittivities. Such new surface wave solutions originate from the anisotropic permittivities of the uniaxial media, resulting in unique hyperbolic-like wavevector dependencies.

Highly ordered transparent conductive oxide nanopillar metamaterials for mid-infrared plasmonics

Plasmonics for the mid-infrared wavelength regime offers unique applications such as molecular vibrational absorption spectroscopy for bio-sensing [1]. The quest for novel materials and structures has been continuing in the last decade [2]. Meanwhile, the fabrication of plasmonic metamaterial structures with large area in a reproducible manner is a tremendous challenge. In this report we show that highly ordered nanopillar structures made of aluminum-doped ZnO (AZO) can work as plasmonic components in the mid-infrared wavelength region.

Advanced fabrication of hyperbolic metamaterials

Hyperbolic metamaterials can provide unprecedented properties in accommodation of high-k (high wave vector) waves and enhancement of the optical density of states. To reach such performance the metamaterials have to be fabricated with as small imperfections as possible. Here we report on our advances in two approaches in fabrication of optical metamaterials. We deposit ultrathin ultrasmooth gold layers with the assistance of organic material (APTMS) adhesion layer. The technology supports the stacking of such layers in a multiperiod construction with alumina spacers between gold films, which is expected to exhibit hyperbolic properties in the visible range. As the second approach we apply the atomic layer deposition technique to arrange vertical alignment of layers or pillars of heavily doped ZnO or TiN, which enables us to produce hyperbolic metamaterials for the near- and mid-infrared ranges.