title: Highly strained compliant optical metamaterials with large frequency tunability.
abstract: Metamaterial designs are typically limited to operation over a narrow bandwidth dictated by the resonant line width. Here we report a compliant metamaterial with tunability of Δλ ∼ 400 nm, greater than the resonant line width at optical frequencies, using high-strain mechanical deformation of an elastomeric substrate to controllably modify the distance between the resonant elements. Using this compliant platform, we demonstrate dynamic surface-enhanced infrared absorption by tuning the metamaterial resonant frequency through a CH stretch vibrational mode, enhancing the reflection signal by a factor of 180. Manipulation of resonator components is also used to tune and modulate the Fano resonance of a coupled system.
authors.affiliation: Thomas J. Watson Laboratories of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA.
authors.forename: Imogen M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Pryce
authors.forename: Koray
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: Yousif A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Kelaita
authors.forename: Ryan M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Briggs
authors.forename: Harry A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Atwater