Ultrafast opto-acoustic modulation of light reflectance in metal-insulator-metal epsilon-near-zero nanocavities

Joel Kuttruff; Roman Krahne; Antonio De Luca; Vincenzo Caligiuri; Nicolò Maccaferri

doi:10.1117/12.2589834

18 April 2021 Ultrafast opto-acoustic modulation of light reflectance in metal-insulator-metal epsilon-near-zero nanocavities

Joel Kuttruff, Roman Krahne, Antonio De Luca, Vincenzo Caligiuri, Nicolò Maccaferri

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Proceedings Volume 11769, Metamaterials XIII; 117691A (2021) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2589834
Event: SPIE Optics + Optoelectronics, 2021, Online Only

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Abstract

We report on ultrafast opto-acoustic modulation of light reflectance in artificial epsilon-near-zero metamaterials made of two layers of Ag separated by an Al₂O₃ layer. By means of non-degenerate two color pump-probe experiments we demonstrate an optically induced acoustic modulation of the reflectance up to 20% via generation of acoustic waves inside the cavity upon mechanical expansion of the metal due to hot electron-phonon coupling nonlinearity in the Ag layers. The presented architecture opens the pathway towards novel routes to exploit light-matter interactions for opto-acoustic modulation at GHz frequencies. Moreover, our system can be designed to work in transmission geometry and is very versatile in terms of shifting the presented properties along a broad range of wavelengths, from UV to mid-IR. Our approach, beyond light-driven information processing, might impact also opto-mechanics, light-driven phonon induced up conversion mechanisms, non-linear optical and acoustic properties of materials, energy harvesting, and heat-assisted ultrafast magneto-optical recording.

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Joel Kuttruff, Roman Krahne, Antonio De Luca, Vincenzo Caligiuri, and Nicolò Maccaferri "Ultrafast opto-acoustic modulation of light reflectance in metal-insulator-metal epsilon-near-zero nanocavities", Proc. SPIE 11769, Metamaterials XIII, 117691A (18 April 2021); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2589834

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