Electromagnetic Metamaterial Films

The field of electromagnetic metamaterials has been rapidly developing in recent years, promising to deliver new composite materials with exotic electromagnetic properties generally unattainable in nature. The resulting wide-angle, ultra-thin absorber is highly desirable for various technological applications. A highly efficient sub-wavelength absorber can be used to miniaturize sensors, such as photodetectors and microbolometers, down to the wavelength scale (or below). Motivated by all the above applications, we find that there is a compelling case for developing a ultra-thin film whose reflective and absorptive properties could be tailored to specific frequency bands. The ultra-wide angular response of such a film would be an additional benefit. To fulfill the need for such a metamaterials-based film, Nanohmics Inc. and Dr. Gennady Shvets at The University of Texas at Austin propose to develop an ultra-thin, wide-angle absorber of the infrared waves using a custom lithography and flexible dielectric deposition.