Engineering photonic density of states using metamaterials

Zubin Jacob, Purdue University - Main Campus
J Y. Kim, Purdue University - Main Campus
G V. Naik, Purdue University - Main Campus
Alexandra Boltasseva, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University
Evgenii Narimanov, Purdue University
V. M. Shalaev, Birck Nanotechnology Center and School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University

Abstract

The photonic density of states (PDOS), like its electronic counterpart, is one of the key physical quantities governing a variety of phenomena and hence PDOS manipulation is the route to new photonic devices. The PDOS is conventionally altered by exploiting the resonance within a device such as a microcavity or a bandgap structure like a photonic crystal. Here we show that nanostructured metamaterials with hyperbolic dispersion can dramatically enhance the photonic density of states paving the way for metamaterial-based PDOS engineering.

Discipline(s)

Engineering | Nanoscience and Nanotechnology