Vera N. Smolyaninova

Anisotropic Metamaterials Emulated by Tapered Waveguides: Application to Optical Cloaking

We demonstrate that metamaterial devices requiring anisotropic dielectric permittivity and magnetic permeability may be emulated by specially designed tapered waveguides. This approach leads to low-loss, broadband performance. Based on this technique, we demonstrate broadband electromagnetic cloaking in the visible frequency range on a scale approximately 100 times larger than the wavelength.

Evidence of a d- to s-wave pairing symmetry transition in the electron-doped cuprate superconductor Pr(2-x)CexCuO4.

We present point contact spectroscopy (PCS) data for junctions between a normal metal and the electron-doped cuprate superconductor Pr(2-x)CexCuO4 (PCCO). For the underdoped compositions of this cuprate ( x approximately 0.13) we observe a peak in the conductance-voltage characteristics of the point contact junctions. The shape and magnitude of this peak suggest the presence of Andreev bound states at the surface of underdoped PCCO which is evidence for a d-wave pairing symmetry. For overdoped PCCO ( x approximately 0.17) the PCS data do not show any evidence of Andreev bound states at the surface suggesting an s-wave pairing symmetry.

Electrical transport in the ferromagnetic state of manganites: small-polaron metallic conduction at low temperatures.

We report measurements of the resistivity in the ferromagnetic state of epitaxial thin films of La(1-x)Ca(x)MnO3 and the low-temperature specific heat of a polycrystalline La0.8Ca0.2MnO3. The resistivity below 100 K can be well fitted by rho-rho(0) = Eomega(s)/sinh (2)(hs/ 2k(B)T) with h(omega)(s)/k(B) approximately 80 K and E being a constant. Such behavior is consistent with small-polaron coherent motion which involves a relaxation due to a soft optical phonon mode that is strongly coupled to the carriers. The specific-heat data also suggest the existence of such a phonon mode. The present results thus provide evidence for small-polaron metallic conduction in the ferromagnetic state of manganites.

Pulsed-laser-deposited epitaxial Sr2FeMoO6−y thin films: Positive and negative magnetoresistance regimes

Epitaxial thin films of ordered double-perovskite Sr2FeMoO6−y are deposited on (001) SrTiO3 substrates by pulsed-laser deposition using a two step growth process. Selection of growth conditions is found to lead to either highly conductive metallic thin films (residual resistivity of about 1 μΩ cm) or semiconducting films. The metallic films show a positive magnetoresistance (MR) as high as 35%, while the semiconducting films show a negative MR of −3%, at a temperature of 5 K and a field of 8 T.

Improved properties of La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 thin films by addition of silver

Thin films of Ag-added La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 exhibit enhancement of several desirable characteristics over the pristine counterparts. We find that the addition of Ag results in a pronounced increase in the insulator–metal transition temperature (Tp) and ferromagnetic transition temperature (Tc). There is also a remarkable improvement in the magnetic and electrical homogeneity of the samples as indicated by narrower ferromagnetic resonance linewidths and narrower resistive transitions, respectively. The observed improvement in properties is inferred to be largely associated with improved oxygen stoichiometry of the films although microstructural effects are not ruled out.

Properties of the ferrimagnetic double perovskites A2FeReO6 (A = Ba and Ca)

We have synthesized ceramics of A2FeReO6 double-perovskites A2FeReO6 (A=Ba, Ca). Structural characterizations indicate a cubic structure with a=8.0854(1) A for Ba2FeReO6 and a distorted monoclinic symmetry with a=5.396(1) A, b=5.522(1) A, c=7.688(2) A and β=90.4° for Ca2FeReO6. The barium compound is metallic from 5K to 385K, i.e. no metal-insulator transition has been seen up to 385K, and the calcium compound is semiconducting from 5K to 385K. Magnetization measurements show a ferrimagnetic behavior for both materials, with Tc =315 K for Ba2FeReO6 and above 385K for Ca2FeReO6. At 5K we observed, only for Ba2FeReO6, a negative magnetoresistance of 10% in a magnetic field of 5T. Electrical, magnetic and thermal properties are discussed and compared to those of the analogous compounds Sr2Fe(Mo,Re)O6 recently studied.

Roadmap on optical metamaterials

Optical metamaterials have redefined how we understand light in notable ways: from strong response to optical magnetic fields, negative refraction, fast and slow light propagation in zero index and trapping structures, to flat, thin and perfect lenses. Many rules of thumb regarding optics, such as mu = 1, now have an exception, and basic formulas, such as the Fresnel equations, have been expanded. The field of metamaterials has developed strongly over the past two decades. Leveraging structured materials systems to generate tailored response to a stimulus, it has grown to encompass research in optics, electromagnetics, acoustics and, increasingly, novel hybrid materials responses. This roadmap is an effort to present emerging fronts in areas of optical metamaterials that could contribute and apply to other research communities. By anchoring each contribution in current work and prospectively discussing future potential and directions, the authors are translating the work of the field in selected areas to a wider community and offering an incentive for outside researchers to engage our community where solid links do not already exist.

Maxwell fish-eye and Eaton lenses emulated by microdroplets.

Based on the transformation optics approach, we demonstrate that microlenses may act as a two dimensional fisheye or an inverted Eaton lens. An asymmetric Eaton lens may exhibit considerable image magnification, which has been confirmed experimentally.

Magnetic homogeneity of colossal-magnetoresistance thin films determined by alternating current magnetic susceptibility

We report measurements of the alternating current (ac) magnetic susceptibility, χac=χ′+iχ″, performed on colossal-magnetoresistance (CMR) materials. We have studied thin film samples of La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 and Nd0.7Sr0.3MnO3. For homogeneous samples, the temperature of the peak observed in χ″(T) is in agreement with the temperature of peak resistivity (TP) obtained from transport measurements. This agreement is not found for inhomogeneous samples, where χ″(T) shows multiple peaks. The analysis of χ″(T) enables one to determine the quality of the CMR materials. The results obtained in thin films of La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 and Nd0.7Sr0.3MnO3, are consistent with those obtained from an homogeneous single crystal of La0.80Sr0.20MnO3. We show that the contactless ac magnetic susceptibility technique is a quick method to reveal inhomogeneities which are not directly evident in direct current transport measurements.

Experimental demonstration of metamaterial “multiverse” in a ferrofluid

Extraordinary light rays propagating inside a hyperbolic metamaterial look similar to particle world lines in a 2 + 1 dimensional Minkowski spacetime. Magnetic nanoparticles in a ferrofluid are known to form nanocolumns aligned along the magnetic field, so that a hyperbolic metamaterial may be formed at large enough nanoparticle concentration nH. Here we investigate optical properties of such a metamaterial just below nH. While on average such a metamaterial is elliptical, thermal fluctuations of nanoparticle concentration lead to transient formation of hyperbolic regions (3D Minkowski spacetimes) inside this metamaterial. Thus, thermal fluctuations in a ferrofluid look similar to creation and disappearance of individual Minkowski spacetimes (universes) in the cosmological multiverse. This theoretical picture is supported by experimental measurements of polarization-dependent optical transmission of a cobalt based ferrofluid at 1500 nm.