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Terahertz Metamaterials on Thin Silicon Nitride Membranes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Xomalin G. Peralta ,
C. L. Arrington ,
J. D. Williams ,
A. Strikwerda ,
R. D. Averitt ,
W. J. Padilla ,
J. F. O'Hara  and
I. Brener
Xomalin G. Peralta
Affiliation:
xgperal@sandia.gov, Sandia National Laboratories, Applied Photonic Microsystems, 1515 Eubank SE, Albuquerque, NM, 87123-1082, United States
C. L. Arrington
Affiliation:
clarrin@sandia.gov, Sandia National Laboratories, P.O. Box 5800, MS1082, Albuquerque, NM, 87185, United States
J. D. Williams
Affiliation:
williams@eng.uah.edu, University of Alabama, Huntsville, Huntsville, AL, 35899, United States
A. Strikwerda
Affiliation:
strik@buphy.bu.edu, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, United States
R. D. Averitt
Affiliation:
raveritt@buphy.bu.edu, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, United States
W. J. Padilla
Affiliation:
Willie.Padilla@bc.edu, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, United States
J. F. O'Hara
Affiliation:
johara@lanl.gov, MPA CINT, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, United States
I. Brener
Affiliation:
ibrener@sandia.gov, Sandia National Laboratories, P.O. Box 5800, MS1082, Albuquerque, NM, 87185, United States
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Abstract

The terahertz (THz) region of the electromagnetic spectrum holds promise for spectroscopic imaging of illicit and hazardous materials, and chemical fingerprinting using moment of inertia vibrational transitions. Passive and active devices operating at THz frequencies are currently a challenge, and a promising emerging technology for such devices is optical metamaterials. In particular, a chem/bio sensing scheme based on the sensitivity of metamaterials to their dielectric environment has been proposed but may be limited due to the large concentration of electric flux in the substrate. In addition, there is an interest in fabricating 3D metamaterials, which is a challenge at these and shorter wavelengths due to fabrication constraints. In order to address both of these problems, we have developed a process to fabricate THz metamaterials on free-standing, 1 micron thick silicon nitride membranes. We will present THz transmission spectra and the corresponding simulation results for these metamaterials, comparing their performance with previously fabricated metamaterials on various thick substrates. Finally, we will present a scheme for implementing a 3D THz metamaterial based on stacking and possibly liftoff of these silicon nitride membranes.

Keywords

optical propertiesnitridemicrostructure
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1077: Symposium L – Functional Plasmonics and Nanophotonics , 2008 , 1077-L07-18
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2008

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