Optical Activity Enhanced by Strong Inter-molecular Coupling in Planar Chiral Metamaterials
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The polarization of light can be rotated in materials with an absence of molecular or structural mirror
symmetry. While this rotating ability is normally rather weak in naturally occurring chiral materials,
artificial chiral metamaterials have demonstrated extraordinary rotational ability by engineering
intra-molecular couplings. However, while in general, chiral metamaterials can exhibit strong rotatory
power at or around resonances, they convert linearly polarized waves into elliptically polarized ones. Here,
we demonstrate that strong inter-molecular coupling through a small gap between adjacent chiral
metamolecules can lead to a broadband enhanced rotating ability with pure rotation of linearly polarized
electromagnetic waves. Strong inter-molecular coupling leads to nearly identical behaviour in magnitude,
but engenders substantial difference in phase between transmitted left and right-handed waves.
symmetry. While this rotating ability is normally rather weak in naturally occurring chiral materials,
artificial chiral metamaterials have demonstrated extraordinary rotational ability by engineering
intra-molecular couplings. However, while in general, chiral metamaterials can exhibit strong rotatory
power at or around resonances, they convert linearly polarized waves into elliptically polarized ones. Here,
we demonstrate that strong inter-molecular coupling through a small gap between adjacent chiral
metamolecules can lead to a broadband enhanced rotating ability with pure rotation of linearly polarized
electromagnetic waves. Strong inter-molecular coupling leads to nearly identical behaviour in magnitude,
but engenders substantial difference in phase between transmitted left and right-handed waves.
Date Issued
2014-09-11
Date Acceptance
2014-06-27
Citation
Scientific Reports, 2014, 4
ISSN
2045-2322
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
Journal / Book Title
Scientific Reports
Volume
4
Copyright Statement
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercialShareAlike
4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this
article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated
otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative
Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder
in order to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this
article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated
otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative
Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder
in order to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Subjects
Science & Technology
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Science & Technology - Other Topics
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
5864