Nanoscale engineering of the waveguide local effective index by metamaterial resonances: Toward transformation optics applications

In this paper we address the potential of metallic metamaterials in guided wave configurations to explore the possibility of their use for transformation optics applications in the near-infrared domain (λ = 1.5 μm). The experimentally investigated hybrid metamaterial structure is made of 2D array of 200×50×50 nm gold cut wires located on the top of high index silicon on insulator (SOI) waveguide. The experimental and modelling results show that composite waveguide effective index and propagation losses can be accurately controlled through the engineering of metamaterial properties. The possibility for controlling at the nanoscale the local effective index can be used in transformation optics applications. The hybrid metamaterial guided wave configuration may become a promising alternative to the bulk multi-layers metamaterial structures in the near infrared domain.