Split-cube-resonator-based metamaterials for polarization-selective asymmetric perfect absorption

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 10; no. 1; p. 17653
• Main Authors: Tsilipakos, Odysseas, Xomalis, Angelos, Kenanakis, George, Farsari, Maria, Soukoulis, Costas M., Economou, Eleftherios N., Kafesaki, Maria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 19.10.2020
• Subjects: 639/624; 639/766/400/561; Humanities and Social Sciences; multidisciplinary; Science; Science (multidisciplinary)
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74221-7

A split-cube-resonator-based metamaterial structure that can act as a polarization- and direction-selective perfect absorber for the infrared region is theoretically and experimentally demonstrated. The structure, fabricated by direct laser writing and electroless silver plating, is comprised of four layers of conductively-coupled split-cube magnetic resonators, appropriately rotated to each other to bestow the desired electromagnetic properties. We show narrowband polarization-selective perfect absorption when the structure is illuminated from one side; the situation is reversed when illuminating from the other side, with the orthogonal linear polarization being absorbed. The absorption peak can be tuned in a wide frequency range by a sparser or denser arrangement of the split cube resonators, allowing to cover the entire atmospheric transparency window. The proposed metamaterial structure can find applications in polarization-selective thermal emission at the IR atmospheric transparency window for radiative cooling, in cost-effective infrared sensing devices, and in narrowband filters and linear polarizers in reflection mode.