Electro-optical control in a plasmonic metamaterial hybridised with a liquid-crystal cell

We experimentally demonstrate efficient electro-optical control in an active nano-structured plasmonic metamaterial hybridised with a liquid-crystal cell. The hybridisation was achieved by simultaneously replacing the polarizer, transparent electrode and molecular alignment layer of the liquid-crystal cell with the metamaterial nano-structure. With the control signal of only 7 V we have achieved a fivefold hysteresis-free modulation of metamaterial transmission at the wavelength of 1.55 mu m. (C)2013 Optical Society of America