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takyon writes:

Dielectric Metamaterial is Dynamically Tuned by Light

Researchers at Duke University have built the first metal-free, dynamically tunable metamaterial for controlling electromagnetic waves. The approach could form the basis for technologies ranging from improved security scanners to new types of visual displays.

The results appear on April 9 in the journal Advanced Materials.

[...] For this study, the [silicon] cylinders were sized to interact with terahertz waves—a band of the electromagnetic spectrum that sits between microwaves and infrared light. Controlling this wavelength of light could improve broadband communications between satellites or lead to security technology that can easily scan through clothing. The approach could also be adapted to other bands of the electromagnetic spectrum—like infrared or visible light—simply by scaling the size of the cylinders.

Phototunable Dielectric Huygens' Metasurfaces (DOI: 10.1002/adma.201800278) (DX)

Original Submission