Lamellas metamaterials: Properties and potential applications

We report here on our advances in fabrication and characterization of lamellas metamaterials. Such structures can exhibit effective properties with enhanced and even extreme anisotropy. The latter case exhibits hyperbolic dispersion. Typical hyperbolic metamaterials (HMMs) consist of alternative metal/plasmonic and dielectric layers.

We have developed two types of lamellas metamaterials: planar multilayer and vertical trench structures. In the former case, we deposit ultrathin ultra-smooth gold layers with the assistance of organic material (APTMS) adhesion layer. The technology supports the stacking of such layers in a multi-periods construction with alumina spacers between gold films.

While planar technology makes multilayer systems conventional nanostructures, vertical arrangement of nanolamellas requires a nontrivial fabrication processing. In the latter case, we apply the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique to arrange vertical alignment of layers of heavily doped ZnO or TiN, which enables us to produce hyperbolic metamaterials in the visible or near- and mid-infrared ranges.

Potential applications of such structured lamellas metamaterials are illustrated with examples of surface waves propagation and sensing.