Intrinsic optical bistability in nanomechanical metamaterials at milliwatt power levels

We report the first demonstration of optical bistability in nanomechanical metamaterials - arrays of plasmonic or dielectric resonators on flexible nano-membranes. Bistability results from the nonlinearity of the near-field forces induced by light

Optically reconfigurable metadevices based on phase-change materials

Chalcogenide phase-change media provide a uniquely flexible platform for both nanostructured and optically-rewritable all-dielectric metamaterials. Non-volatile, laser-induced phase transitions enable resonance switching in nanostructured chalcogenide meta-surfaces and allow for reversible direct-writing of arbitrary meta-devices in chalcogenide thin films, including dynamically refocusable, chromatically correctable and super-oscillatory lenses, and near-infrared-resonant photonic metamaterials

Reconfigurable nanomembrane metadevices

Dynamic control over metamaterial optical properties enables active metadevices. Here we demonstrate optically, magnetically and electrically actuated metadevices providing functionalities from giant nonlinear and magneto-electro-optical effects to on-demand gratings, phase gradient surfaces, beam steering and focusing of light

Nano-optomechanical nonlinear dielectric metamaterials

By harnessing the resonant nature of localized electromagnetic modes in a nanostructured silicon membrane, an all-dielectric metamaterial can act as nonlinear medium at optical telecommunications wavelengths. We show that such metamaterials provide extremely large optomechanical nonlinearities, operating at intensities of only a few μW per unit cell and modulation frequencies as high as 152 MHz, thereby offering a path to fast, compact and energy efficient all-optical metadevices

Merging metamaterial and fiber technologies

We report on integration of plasmonic and all-dielectric metamaterials into active photonic devices on the fiber platform. These include all-optical and electro-optical phase change and nano-opto-mechanical switching devices, dispersion control solution and coherent control metadevices

All-dielectric nano-optomechanical nonlinear metamaterials

A free-standing all-dielectric metamaterial can act as nonlinear medium at optical telecommunications wavelengths. We show that the resonant nature of localized electromagnetic and mechanical oscillation modes in a nanostructured silicon membrane provide for the realization of extremely large optomechanical nonlinearities, operating at intensities of only a few µW per unit cell and modulation frequencies in the hundreds of MHz range, thereby offering a path to fast, compact all-optical metadevices