Multistability and switching in a superconducting metamaterial

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 5; no. 1; p. 3730
• Main Authors: Jung, P., Butz, S., Marthaler, M., Fistul, M. V., Leppäkangas, J., Koshelets, V. P., Ustinov, A. V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 28.04.2014; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 639/301/1019/1015; 639/301/119/1003; 639/766/25; Electric Conductivity; Humanities and Social Sciences; Microwaves; Models, Chemical; multidisciplinary; Nanostructures; Quantum Theory; Science; Science (multidisciplinary)
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4730

The field of metamaterial research revolves around the idea of creating artificial media that interact with light in a way unknown from naturally occurring materials. This is commonly achieved using sub-wavelength lattices of electronic or plasmonic structures, so-called meta-atoms. One of the ultimate goals for these tailored media is the ability to control their properties in situ . Here we show that superconducting quantum interference devices can be used as fast, switchable meta-atoms. We find that their intrinsic nonlinearity leads to simultaneously stable dynamic states, each of which is associated with a different value and sign of the magnetic susceptibility in the microwave domain. Moreover, we demonstrate that it is possible to switch between these states by applying nanosecond-long pulses in addition to the microwave-probe signal. Apart from potential applications for this all-optical metamaterial switch, the results suggest that multistability can also be utilized in other types of nonlinear meta-atoms. Metamaterials are artificial media with tailored optical properties that can ideally be altered at will. Jung et al. use superconducting quantum interference devices as switchable meta-atoms to build a metamaterial that can be rapidly controlled by microwave-probe signals.