Engineering resonances in infrared metamaterials

Engineering resonances in metamaterials has been so far the main way of reaching simultaneously negative permittivity and negative permeability leading to negative index materials. In this paper, we present an experimental and numerical analysis of the infrared response of metamaterials made of continuous nanowires and split ring resonators (SRR) deposited on low-doped silicon when the geometry of the SRRs is gradually altered. The impact of the geometric transformation of the SRRs on the spectra of the composite metamaterial is measured in the 20-200 THz frequency range (i.e., in the 1.5-15 mu m wavelength range) for the two field polarizations under normal to plane propagation. We show experimentally and numerically that tuning the SRRs towards elementary cut wires translates in a predictable manner the frequency response of the artificial material. We also analyze coupling effects between the SRRs and the continuous nanowires for different spacings between them. The results of our study are expected to provide useful guidelines for the design of negative index metamaterials on silicon. (C) 2008 Optical Society of America.