title: Artificial Kerr-type medium using metamaterials.
abstract: We investigated an artificial Kerr-medium realized by actuated THz metamaterials. Instead of directly applying E-field inside the medium, we use micromechanical systems actuated by voltage to tune the phase shift. We established that the combined system can have a relationship between the phase shift and the voltage similar to a Kerr cell. A metamaterial Kerr-cell is designed to modulate the transmission phase difference by 0.99°/V² which is much stronger than natural Kerr crystals. It is attributed to the mechanical tunability of metamaterials with high indices in two orthogonal directions. A Lorentzian model is used in explaining the artificial Kerr cell.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Xiaogang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Tianhua
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Zixian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Jensen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li