Dynamically Tunable Metamaterials

The technology, theory and fabrication of artificial materials and metamaterials have seen impressive progress in the last few years, and various applied fields have benefited of the great flexibility of electromagnetic response that metamaterials may provide at microwaves, infrared (IR) and/or optical frequencies. Negative-refractive and zero-permittivity metamaterials have indeed been proposed for breakthrough novel applications in a multiplicity of fields, spanning engineering, physics and optics. The objective of this proposal is to develop transparent metallo-dielectric multilayer stacks that functions both as an EMI and a laser eye protection coating. We will design and construct multilayer stacks that provide a high transparency window in the visible spectrum but block both UV and IR light. The coating will have sufficient conductivity to offer EMI control and sufficient optical density to protect the eye from damage by laser radiation in these two spectral regions. As part of the Phase I effort we will build and test these stacks on both rigid and flexible substrates in order to provide a wide variety of protection applications. The Phase I work will also produce a technology development and demonstrate plan for the proposed solution that will be executed in Phase II.