NANOSTRUCTURED PHOTONIC METAMATERIALS
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Southampton
Department Name: Optoelectronics Research Ctr (closed)
Abstract
Over the last twenty years photonics, the science of light, has played a key role in creating the world as we know it. Today it is impossible to imagine modern society without internet and mobile telephony made possible by the implementation of optical fibre networks, CD's and DVD's underpinned by the development of lasers, modern image display technologies, and laser-assisted manufacturing.We believe that the next photonic revolution will continue to grow, explosively fuelled by a new dependence on a radically different type of photonic materials called metamaterials. Metamaterials are artificial electromagnetic media with unusual and useful functionalities achieved by structuring on a sub-wavelength scale. Nanotechnology-enabled materials are now universally seen as the direction where the global economy will grow strongly in the 21st century. The proposed Programme is at the core of this global movement and focuses on an area of particular interest to the UK - nanophotonics and metamaterials. Our vision for this Programme is to develop a new generation of revolutionary switchable and active nanostructured photonic media thus providing groundbreaking solutions for telecoms, energy, light generation, imaging, lithography, data storage, sensing, and security and defence applications. The Programme will mobilize and focus all of the resources and interdisciplinary expertise available at the University of Southampton and with our collaboration partners in the UK and around the world, to create a world-leading centre of research on Nanostructured Photonic Metamaterials. The elements of adventure and key research challenges in this project can be summarized as follows: we aim to develop photonic media allowing for ultra-high-density integration, the lowest possible energy levels and the highest speeds of optical switching. This will be achieved by advancing the physics of the control, guiding and amplification of light in nanostructures and by developing new nanofabrication techniques and methods of hybridization and integration into the waveguide and fiber environment of different novel metamaterial structures.The main methodological paradigm for the Programme is to achieve new functionalities by developing hybrid photonic metamaterials. The Programme will consist of strongly interlinked projects on fabricating hybrid metamaterials, metamaterials as a platform for photonic devices and fundamental physical experiments, controllable, switchable and active hybrid metamaterials, and developing new ideas emerging from theoretical analysis. Essential to the project will be the new world-leading 105M cleanroom and laboratory Mountbatten complex at the University of Southampton. This proposal is submitted on behalf of an internationally leading team with a formidable research track record that within the last 10 years has led and participated in research projects with funding exceeding 34 millions, published 463 journal research papers and given more than 200 invited talks at major international meetings. The research will be developed in collaboration with key international research groups and industrial laboratories and in this way form a Global Laboratory for the project.This high-risk/high-reward Programme will be run by a strong Director-led management team which will benefit from advice from an independent Project Mentor and Advisory Board. Strategic decisions will be made using the search-and-focus approach involving regular critical reviews of the research programme under an active resources and risk management scheme allowing for the redistribution of resources and usage of reserves where they are most needed and to quickly foster new research directions.
Organisations
- University of Southampton (Lead Research Organisation)
- National Taiwan University (Collaboration)
- Australian Research Council (Collaboration)
- NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- Swinburne University of Technology (Collaboration)
- Airforce Office of Scientific Research (Collaboration)
- University of Padova (Collaboration)
- Fujifilm (Japan) (Collaboration)
- University of Tokyo (Collaboration)
- Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Collaboration)
- University of Maryland, College Park (Collaboration)
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (Collaboration)
- Nankai University (Collaboration)
- Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) (Collaboration)
- Harbin Engineering University (Collaboration)
- US Navy (Collaboration)
- Asahi Kasei Corporation (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON (Collaboration)
- Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) (Collaboration)
Publications
Papaioannou M
(2016)
Invited Article: All-optical multichannel logic based on coherent perfect absorption in a plasmonic metamaterial
in APL Photonics
Cencillo-Abad P
(2016)
Metadevice for intensity modulation with sub-wavelength spatial resolution.
in Scientific reports
Raybould T
(2016)
Toroidal circular dichroism
in Physical Review B
Javanainen J
(2016)
Light propagation beyond the mean-field theory of standard optics.
in Optics express
Fang X
(2016)
Coherent control of light-matter interactions in polarization standing waves.
in Scientific reports
Papasimakis N
(2016)
Electromagnetic toroidal excitations in matter and free space.
in Nature materials
Valente J
(2016)
Nano- and Micro-Auxetic Plasmonic Materials.
in Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
Savinov V
(2016)
Giant nonlinearity in a superconducting sub-terahertz metamaterial
in Applied Physics Letters
Cencillo-Abad P
(2016)
Random access actuation of nanowire grid metamaterial.
in Nanotechnology
Cencillo-Abad P
(2016)
Spatial optical phase-modulating metadevice with subwavelength pixelation.
in Optics express
Zheludev NI
(2016)
Reconfigurable nanomechanical photonic metamaterials.
in Nature nanotechnology
Watson D
(2017)
Point dipole and quadrupole scattering approximation to collectively responding resonator systems
in Physical Review B
Papasimakis N
(2017)
Generation of Flying Electromagnetic Donuts
Atmatzakis E
(2017)
Plasmonic absorption properties of bimetallic metamaterials
in Microelectronic Engineering
Cencillo-Abad P
(2017)
Electro-mechanical light modulator based on controlling the interaction of light with a metasurface.
in Scientific reports
Clarke B
(2017)
Smith-Purcell Radiation from Compound Blazed Gratings
Guerin S
(2017)
Synthesis and Screening of Phase Change Chalcogenide Thin Film Materials for Data Storage.
in ACS combinatorial science
Jenkins SD
(2017)
Many-Body Subradiant Excitations in Metamaterial Arrays: Experiment and Theory.
in Physical review letters
Papasimakis N
(2018)
Pulse generation scheme for flying electromagnetic doughnuts
in Physical Review B
Cong L
(2018)
A Metamaterial Analog of the Ising Model
in Advanced Materials
Jenkins S
(2018)
Strong interactions and subradiance in disordered metamaterials
in Physical Review B
Atmatzakis E
(2018)
Magneto-optical response in bimetallic metamaterials
in Nanophotonics
Shanmugam J
(2019)
Giant Photoinduced Chirality in Thin Film Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5
in physica status solidi (RRL) - Rapid Research Letters
Watson DW
(2019)
Point-dipole approximation for small systems of strongly coupled radiating nanorods.
in Scientific reports
Papasimakis N
(2019)
Cooperative field localization and excitation eigenmodes in disordered metamaterials
Papasimakis N
(2019)
Cooperative field localization and excitation eigenmodes in disordered metamaterials
in Physical Review B
Yuan G
(2019)
"Plasmonics" in free space: observation of giant wavevectors, vortices, and energy backflow in superoscillatory optical fields.
in Light, science & applications
Delaney M
(2020)
A New Family of Ultralow Loss Reversible Phase-Change Materials for Photonic Integrated Circuits: Sb 2 S 3 and Sb 2 Se 3
in Advanced Functional Materials
Ning J
(2022)
Low Energy Switching of Phase Change Materials Using a 2D Thermal Boundary Layer.
in ACS applied materials & interfaces
Title | Metamaterials: Optical Properties on Demand |
Description | Promotional/educational video on current themes in photonic metamaterials research at the University of Southampton, produced for the American Physical Society March Meeting 2015 |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2015 |
Impact | Recognition of research excellence and leadership; International visibility for UK research |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQAycgAJOFc |
Title | Metamaterials: The next Photonic Revolution |
Description | Promotional/educational video on photonic metamaterials and research work in the field at the University of Southampton |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2010 |
Impact | International visibility for UK research excellence; Contribution to public understanding of the research field |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taSfueSfmag |
Description | The Programme has delivered a high level of innovation and adventure, fostering the emergence of several new research directions and ground-breaking results. Among our achievements to date: in 'Switchable and Tuneable Metamaterials': - We have developed a new platform for metamaterial-enabled volatile and non-volatile all-optical and electro-optical switching by merging metamaterials with the phase-change chalcogenide glass technology used in optical data storage (rewriteable CDs and DVDs). Most notably, we provided the first demonstrations of a metamaterial electro-optic switch of nanoscale thickness and of an all-optical, non-volatile, bidirectional, phase-change meta-switch; - We have developed a new technology for modulating sub-THz radiation with electrical current in a superconducting metamaterial and demonstrated temperature control of Fano resonances and transmission in superconducting metamaterials; - We have developed the new concept of 'flux exclusion' superconducting quantum metamaterials, which promises quantum-level switching; - We have developed the radical concept of coherently controlling of light-with-light without nonlinearity and shown that two coherent light beams of arbitrarily low intensity can interact on a metamaterial of nanoscale thickness such that one beam modulates the intensity of the other. Applications of this phenomenon may lie in ultrafast optical pulse-recovery, coherence filtering and terahertz-bandwidth all-optical data processing devices operating even at the single quantum level; - We have demonstrated magnetic control of metamaterial properties in a composite metamaterial hybridized with yttrium iron garnet and electro-optic control in a plasmonic metamaterial hybridised with a liquid-crystal cell. in 'Nonlinear Metamaterials' we have developed a range of metamaterials with record-breaking nonlinearities for all-optical switching. Specifically: - We have shown for the first time that the hybridization of single-walled carbon nanotubes with plasmonic metamaterials produces a photonic medium with an exceptionally strong ultrafast nonlinearity underpinned by plasmon-exiton coupling; - We have developed the first plasmonic metamaterials hybridised with and made exclusively from graphene, demonstrating for the first time that graphene's broadband nonlinear optical response can be resonantly enhanced by more than an order of magnitude through metamaterial hybridization, while retaining an ultrafast nonlinear response time of ~1 ps; - We have demonstrated new metal oxide hybrids for actively controlled metamaterials and plasmonics; - We have shown that an ultrafast switching material can be engineered by harnessing the nanoscale confinement of light and the intrinsic nonlinearity of metal. Using a nanostructured gold film, we have demonstrated resonant switching performance at least an order of magnitude faster and stronger than in any other designed material reported to date, thus presenting a ground-breaking solution for all-optical data processing. in 'Reconfigurable Metamaterials': - We have developed range of THz and far-infrared MEMS reconfigurable metamaterials with tuneable and switchable polarization properties well-suited to applications in transformation optics, sensors, intelligent detectors, tuneable frequency-selective surfaces, and spectral filters. We are currently extending this work to include tuneable metamaterials with liquid-metal-filled resonators; - We introduced the first reconfigurable photonic metamaterials for the optical part of the spectrum as a flexible platform for realizing metamaterial devices with reversible and widely tuneable characteristics; - We have developed a new type of metamaterial actuated by electrostatic forces arising from the application of only a few volts to nanoscale constituent parts supported by a flexible silicon-nitride membrane of nanoscale thickness. It exhibits a colossal electro-optic response (five orders larger than lithium niobate) and allows for fast continuous tuning of optical properties; - We have introduced the concept of all-dielectric reconfigurable photonic metamaterials, which present a giant nonlinear optical response driven by resonant optomechanical forces. Being inherently free of Joule losses, they exhibit optical bistability at low intensity levels and highly asymmetric transmission. in 'Metamaterials for Light Generation and Light Harvesting': - We have demonstrated multifold enhancement of luminescence in metamaterials, an essential step towards understanding loss compensation in plasmonic metamaterials hybridized with gain media and for developing metamaterial-enhanced gain media; - We have demonstrated the first electron-beam-driven collective-mode metamaterial light source generating visible radiation via an emission mechanism distinctly different from cathodoluminescence, that bears some characteristic similarity with laser light; - We have developed a new technique for optical generating intense ultrashort Tesla-scale magnetic pulses at the nanoscale using bimetallic nano-ring metamolecules illuminated by fs laser pulses - a technology that may find applications in THz radiation generation and data storage applications; - We have demonstrated a radiation-harvesting superconducting sub-THz metamaterial bolometer that collects incident radiation with high spectral selectivity and channels it to a highly-localized bolometer hot-spot. in 'Light Localization and Spectral Collapse in Metamaterials': - We have reported the first direct experimental demonstration and theoretical analysis of spectral line collapse with increasing metamolecule number in 'coherent metamaterials' at microwave, terahertz and optical frequencies - a phenomenon fundamental to the realization of 'lasing spaser' devices; - We have demonstrated that the sub-wavelength localization of light in the near-field of a metamaterial may be efficiently controlled by the polarization and wavelength of incident radiation, and shown for the first time both theoretically and experimentally that a plasmonic metamaterial can act as a far- to near-field transformer that focuses a free-space light beam into a sub-wavelength energy hot spot at a prescribed location. That this spot can be moved at will from one metamolecule to another in a 'digital fashion that may be applied to imaging and optical data processing; - We have found that disorder in planar metamaterials can lead to the formation of 'magnetic hot-spots'; - We have demonstrated that a planar plasmonic metamaterial with spatially variable metamolecule parameters can harness 'superoscillation' effects to focus light into sub-wavelength hot-spots located beyond the near-field of the metamaterial. in the 'New Physics of Metamaterials': - We have continued pioneering work on Fano resonances in metamaterials and on 3D and 2D chiral metamaterials; - We have developed a unique metamaterial polarization spectral filter able to provide an isolated transmission line at any prescribed wavelength; - We have demonstrated an electromagnetic wave analogue of an electronic diode based on a microwave chiral nonlinear metamaterial; - We have re-discovered the elusive effect of nonlinear optical activity with the demonstration of a plasmonic metamaterial exhibiting nonlinear optical activity 30 million times stronger than any natural medium; - We have provided the first unambiguous observation of a toroidal dipolar response in the classical electrodynamics of metamaterials, thus bringing attention to interactions involving toroidal multipoles in naturally occurring systems; - We have identified various applications of toroidal excitations and extended observation of toroidal resonances to different parts of the spectrum; - We have shown that superconductors can support low-loss surface plasmon waves with extreme confinement, which may serve as information carriers in compact THz data processing circuits; - We have provided a pioneering study of UV and visible range plasmonics in a topological insulator and identified a new mechanisms of negative permittivity in semiconductors where visible-range plasmonics can be directly integrated with electronics; - We have demonstrated metal oxide infrared metamaterials with tuneable properties for infrared spectroscopy; - We theoretically showed that atoms trapped by quantum fluctuations in optical lattices can act as a novel quantum metamaterial. Since January 2010 we have published over 200 papers in key research journals including Science, Nature Photonics, Nature Materials, Nature Communications, Physical Review Letters, Advanced Materials, Nnao Letters, Applied Physics Letters and Optics Express. These works now collectively earn around 2000 citations per year (Web of Science data) making Southampton one of the most widely recognized and influential centres for metamaterials research in the world. We have made more than 430 conference presentations including 127 invited, 27 keynote and 20 plenary talks at major international conferences. |
Exploitation Route | Achieving functionality through structuring, i.e. engineering desired properties to specification via sophisticated growth and nanofabrication techniques that allow materials to be assembled from the atomic scale up - the essence of metamaterials paradigm, is currently drawing attention from many research communities. It is becoming an enabling heuristic concept for a myriad of academic disciplines, from materials science to computer science, from biomedical sensing to modelling astrophysical phenomena. Indeed, metamaterials itself is a synthetic science exploiting advanced knowledge in many fields, from nanotechnology and solid state physics to chemistry and electrodynamics. The full potential of this enabling technology has not yet been exploited by industry. Our work aims to help bridge the 'valley of death' between research and development by aligning blue-sky fundamental research on advanced materials to real-world needs, and providing a fertile environment for the training of professional young researchers with synthetic multidisciplinary skills. With this in mind, the Programme was developed in close collaboration with the UK and international research community, including partners such as the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, DSTL, FujiFilm Corporation, QinetiQ and the Asahi Kasei Corporation, which maintain strong interest in technological applications of photonic metamaterials. The Programme has given us a strong voice internationally to influence EU Horizon2020 and ERC policies via the Nanophotonics Europe Association and METAMORPHOSE Virtual Institute on Metamaterials. Our roles in consultancy groups and within the IOP, EPS, IEEE, IET, RAEng, Royal Society, OSA, SPIE, and on the committees of major conferences are the most direct mechanisms for promoting advanced scientific knowledge in general and the field of metamaterials specifically. |
Sectors | Aerospace Defence and Marine Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Electronics Energy Environment Healthcare Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Security and Diplomacy |
URL | http://www.metamaterials.org.uk/ |
Description | The findings of this programme are a part of the foundation for the establishment of the EPSRC UK Metamaterials Network. Likewise, they contirbuted to creation of the KTN Innovation Network on Metamaterials. And its research themes have been, and continue to be, at the core of collaboration between the University of Southampton and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, through the formal establishemnt of dual research centre between the two institutions. |
First Year Of Impact | 2012 |
Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education |
Impact Types | Economic Policy & public services |
Description | Bilateral Studentship Funding |
Amount | £190,947 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Reconfigurable Optical Frequency Metamaterials |
Organisation | Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2010 |
End | 09/2014 |
Description | Conference Travel Grant |
Amount | £1,640 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Hewak |
Organisation | The Royal Society |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2010 |
Description | Conference Travel Grant |
Amount | £1,552 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Plum |
Organisation | The Royal Society |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2011 |
Description | Conference Travel Grant |
Amount | £1,870 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MacDonald |
Organisation | The Royal Society |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2010 |
Description | EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellowship |
Amount | £60,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Ou |
Organisation | University of Southampton |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2014 |
End | 09/2015 |
Description | EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellowship |
Amount | £60,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Adamo |
Organisation | University of Southampton |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2011 |
End | 09/2012 |
Description | EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellowship |
Amount | £60,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Savinov |
Organisation | University of Southampton |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2012 |
End | 09/2013 |
Description | Enterprise Fund |
Amount | £159,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Nanoscope: Translation to biomedical applications and markets |
Organisation | University of Southampton |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2013 |
End | 12/2014 |
Description | Global Research Outreach |
Amount | $131,721 (USD) |
Funding ID | Active All-Dielectric Metamaterials |
Organisation | Samsung |
Department | Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology |
Sector | Private |
Country | Korea, Republic of |
Start | 04/2014 |
End | 04/2015 |
Description | Global Research Outreach |
Amount | $99,901 (USD) |
Funding ID | Chalcogenide Phase Change Materials in Active Plasmonic and Metamaterial Technologies |
Organisation | Samsung |
Department | Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology |
Sector | Private |
Country | Korea, Republic of |
Start | 09/2010 |
End | 09/2011 |
Description | Global Research Outreach |
Amount | $126,100 (USD) |
Funding ID | Pixellated Chalcogenide Meta-Devices |
Organisation | Samsung |
Department | Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology |
Sector | Private |
Country | Korea, Republic of |
Start | 11/2012 |
End | 10/2013 |
Description | International Exchange |
Amount | £11,810 (GBP) |
Organisation | The Royal Society |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2010 |
End | 08/2010 |
Description | Joint Research Project |
Amount | £43,549 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Nano Reconfigurable Photonics Metamaterials |
Organisation | US Navy |
Department | US Office of Naval Research Global |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United States |
Start | 01/2011 |
End | 08/2014 |
Description | National PhD Programme |
Amount | £131,855 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Transforming Electromagnetic Wavefronts |
Organisation | Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2012 |
End | 09/2016 |
Description | National PhD Programme |
Amount | £127,037 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Magnonic Metamaterials |
Organisation | Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2012 |
End | 09/2016 |
Description | Research Programme to Support MAST |
Amount | £119,064 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Self-Adaptive Photonic Metamaterials |
Organisation | Qinetiq |
Department | QinetiQ (Farnborough) |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2012 |
End | 10/2015 |
Description | Strategic Equipment Fund |
Amount | £700,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | FIB Nanofabrication System |
Organisation | University of Southampton |
Department | Optoelectronics Research Centre |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2009 |
End | 06/2010 |
Description | Strategic Equipment Fund |
Amount | £31,900 (GBP) |
Funding ID | XeF2 FIB Etch Assist |
Organisation | University of Southampton |
Department | Optoelectronics Research Centre |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2012 |
Description | Strategic Equipment Fund |
Amount | £320,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Nanonics Multi-Probe |
Organisation | University of Southampton |
Department | Optoelectronics Research Centre |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2010 |
Description | Strategic Equipment Fund |
Amount | £363,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Dip Pen Nanolithography System |
Organisation | University of Southampton |
Department | Optoelectronics Research Centre |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2010 |
End | 08/2010 |
Description | Strategic Equipment Fund |
Amount | £200,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Time-resolved SEM |
Organisation | University of Southampton |
Department | Optoelectronics Research Centre |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2009 |
End | 08/2010 |
Description | Visiting Professorship |
Amount | £29,780 (GBP) |
Funding ID | F. J. GarcÃa de Abajo |
Organisation | The Leverhulme Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2010 |
End | 09/2011 |
Description | Wolfson Research Merit Award |
Amount | £65,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Nikolay Zheludev |
Organisation | The Royal Society |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2009 |
End | 03/2014 |
Title | Extremely subwavelength metal oxide direct and complementary metamaterials. |
Description | Dataset for figure in Gregory, Simon A., Wang, Yudong, de Groot, C.H. and Muskens, Otto L. (2015) Extreme Subwavelength Metal Oxide Direct and Complementary Metamaterials. ACS Photonics, 2 (5), 606-614. (doi:10.1021/acsphotonics.5b00089). |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2015 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/376381 |
Description | A* |
Organisation | Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) |
Department | Institute Of Materials Research And Engineering |
Country | Singapore |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Provision of research facilities and multidisciplinary research environment |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of researcher time and expertise - visitor from A*STAR working in Southampton on projects of mutual interest |
Impact | Direct exposure of research personnel from a major international applied research centre to the cutting edge of photonic metamaterials research; Several journal articles and conference papers |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | AFOSR MURI |
Organisation | Airforce Office of Scientific Research |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | International partnership with the AFRL MURI "Active Metasurfaces for Advanced Wavefront Engineering and Waveguiding". Complementary research expertise and facilities |
Collaborator Contribution | Complementary research expertise and facilities |
Impact | Exchange of ideas and expertise; Linked funding proposal under review. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Asahi Kasei |
Organisation | Asahi Kasei Corporation |
Country | Japan |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Provision of research facilities and multidisciplinary research environment |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of researcher time - visitor from Asahi Kaisei working in Southampton on a project of mutual interest |
Impact | Direct exposure of industrial research personnel from a major multinational to the cutting edge of photonic metamaterials research; Direct access for programme research leaders to information on industrial needs/capabilities in photonic materials development; Several conference papers. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | CDPT |
Organisation | Nanyang Technological University |
Country | Singapore |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Complementary research expertise and facilities |
Collaborator Contribution | Complementary research expertise and facilities |
Impact | Key contributions to the establishment of The Photonics Institute at Nanyang Technological University - a bilateral photonics research center formed with the University of Southampton; Several joint PhD studentships beginning 2014; Numerous journal articles and conference papers |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | CUDOS |
Organisation | Australian Research Council |
Department | Centre for Ultrahigh bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems (CUDOS) |
Country | Australia |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | International partnership with the CUDOS consortium. Complementary research expertise and facilities |
Collaborator Contribution | Complementary research expertise and facilities |
Impact | Exchange of ideas and expertise |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | Fujifilm |
Organisation | Fujifilm |
Country | Japan |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Provision of research facilities and multidisciplinary research environment |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of researcher time - visitors from Fujifilm working in Southampton on projects of mutual interest |
Impact | Direct exposure of industrial research personnel from a major multinational to the cutting edge of photonic metamaterials research; Direct access for programme research leaders to information on industrial needs/capabilities in photonic materials development; Several conference papers. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | Fujifilm |
Organisation | Fujifilm |
Country | Japan |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Provision of research facilities and multidisciplinary research environment |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of researcher time - visitors from Fujifilm working in Southampton on projects of mutual interest |
Impact | Direct exposure of industrial research personnel from a major multinational to the cutting edge of photonic metamaterials research; Direct access for programme research leaders to information on industrial needs/capabilities in photonic materials development; Several conference papers. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | García de Abajo |
Organisation | Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) |
Country | Spain |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Experimental research expertise |
Collaborator Contribution | Theoretical and computational modelling expertise |
Impact | Numerous journal articles and conference papers |
Start Year | 2007 |
Description | Harbin |
Organisation | Harbin Engineering University |
Country | China |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Provision of research facilities and multidisciplinary research environment |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of researcher time and expertise - visitor from Harbin Engineering University working in Southampton on projects of mutual interest |
Impact | Several journal articles and conference papers |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Institute for Life Sciences |
Organisation | University of Southampton |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Collaboration leading to funded project to develop the Nanoscope technology for biological imaging. Out team provides the physics and engineering expertise to make demonstrations possible. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partners provide the biological applications and samples to allow the full power of the super-oscillatory imaging technology to be demonstared in the Life Sciences |
Impact | This is a multi-disciplinary collaboration between the physical and life sciences. At this stage, the primary outputs are two funded projects to develop the super-oscillatory imaging technology into the Life Sciences. |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | Institute for Life Sciences |
Organisation | University of Southampton |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Collaboration leading to funded project to develop the Nanoscope technology for biological imaging. Out team provides the physics and engineering expertise to make demonstrations possible. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partners provide the biological applications and samples to allow the full power of the super-oscillatory imaging technology to be demonstared in the Life Sciences |
Impact | This is a multi-disciplinary collaboration between the physical and life sciences. At this stage, the primary outputs are two funded projects to develop the super-oscillatory imaging technology into the Life Sciences. |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | Maryland |
Organisation | University of Maryland |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Provision of specialist research facilities |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of samples and researcher time - visitor from University of Maryland working in Southampton on a project of mutual interest |
Impact | Research data |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Nankai |
Organisation | Nankai University |
Country | China |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Provision of research facilities and multidisciplinary research environment |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of researcher time - visitor from Nankai University working in Southampton on a project of mutual interest |
Impact | Several journal articles and conference papers |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | National Taiwan University |
Organisation | National Taiwan University |
Country | Taiwan, Province of China |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Complementary research expertise and facilities; Provision of researcher time - visitors from NTU working in Southampton on projects of mutual interest |
Collaborator Contribution | Complementary research expertise and facilities |
Impact | Numerous journal articles and conference papers |
Start Year | 2007 |
Description | ONR MURI |
Organisation | US Navy |
Department | US Office of Naval Research Global |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | International partnership with the ONR MURI "Large-Area 3D Optical Metamaterials with Tunability and Low Loss". Complementary research expertise and facilities |
Collaborator Contribution | Complementary research expertise and facilities |
Impact | Exchange of ideas and expertise; Successful joint funding proposal |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Padova |
Organisation | University of Padova |
Department | Department of Information Engineering |
Country | Italy |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Provision of research facilities and multidisciplinary research environment |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of researcher time - visitor from Padova working in Southampton on a project of mutual interest |
Impact | Nature Group journal article |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Pinheiro |
Organisation | Federal University of Rio de Janeiro |
Country | Brazil |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Provision of research facilities and multidisciplinary research environment |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of researcher time and expertise - visitor from FURdJ working in Southampton on a project of mutual interest |
Impact | Successful bid for further collaboration funding [Royal Society Newton Fellowship] Reserach results, leasing to journal and/or conference papers |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Shanghai |
Organisation | Chinese Academy of Sciences |
Department | Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics |
Country | China |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Provision of research facilities and multidisciplinary research environment |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of researcher time - visitor from SITP working in Southampton on a project of mutual interest |
Impact | Several conference papers; journal article pending |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Swinburne |
Organisation | Swinburne University of Technology |
Country | Australia |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Provision of research facilities and multidisciplinary research environment |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of researcher time and expertise - visitor from Swinburne University of Technology working in Southampton on a project of mutual interest |
Impact | Journal article and several conference papers |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Tokyo |
Organisation | University of Tokyo |
Country | Japan |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Provision of research facilities and multidisciplinary research environment |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of researcher time - visitor from the University of Tokyo working in Southampton on a project of mutual interest |
Impact | Several conference papers; journal article pending |
Start Year | 2014 |
Title | MAGNETIC FIELD GENERATOR |
Description | A metallic ring is made of two metals, wherein one metal forms a major arcuate portion and the other a minor arcuate portion of the ring, thereby forming a thermocouple-type structure as a result of the two inter-metallic junctions. The metallic ring supports a surface plasmon whose energy is matched to the energy, i.e. wavelength, of an incident light beam so that the oscillating electromagnetic field of the light resonates with the plasmon. The resonating plasmon causes a temperature difference to arise between the two inter-metallic junctions in the ring. The different Seebeck coefficients of the two metals results in the temperature difference causing a net current to flow around the ring, which in turn generates a magnetic field. Such a thermoelectric metamaterial ring transforms high frequency optical energy into long duration magnetic radiation pulses in the terahertz range. Applications of these devices include high density magnetic recording, magnetic field spectroscopy, and efficient terahertz radiation sources. |
IP Reference | US2013176836 |
Protection | Patent granted |
Year Protection Granted | 2013 |
Licensed | No |
Impact | The metamaterial magnetic field generator concept underpins ongoing doctoral research work, international collaboration with colleagues at ICFO, Spain, and discussions with potential industrial research sponsors/partners. It has led to a number of high-profile journal and conference papers. |
Title | Method and device for controlling the color of metals |
Description | A method and a device are disclosed for changing the color of a metal surface in a given part of the electromagnetic spectrum. It is achieved by creating a surface relief as an array of raised or indented repeated elements without breaking the continuity of the metal surface. The characteristic size of the elements is smaller than the shortest wavelength in that part of spectrum. In particular, the method uses excitation of surface plasmons on the metal surface. The relief may be optionally covered by a layer of dielectric or semiconductor for further fixed or externally controlled change of the metal surface color. The device may be used to detect the intensity or color or phase of incident light. It may be used to detect another substance in proximity of the surface by changing the color or phase or intensity of reflected light. |
IP Reference | US20120015118 |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | |
Licensed | No |
Impact | The concept underpinned further research work and international collaboration, and generated considerable industrial interest in photonic metamaterials concepts and potential applications |
Title | Non-linear Materials and Related Devices |
Description | A non-linear optical device comprising a non-linear element made of a plasmonic material with a periodic structure having a period smaller than the wavelength of a non-linear process intrinsic to the plasmonic material. The plasmonic material is implemented as a gold film which is structured with a periodic array of asymmetric split ring slits. The metamaterial framework of the plasmonic material itself is used as the source of a strong and fast non-linearity. The cubic non-linear response is resonantly enhanced through the effect of the metamaterial structuring by more than two orders of magnitude and its sign and magnitude can be controlled by varying the metamaterial pattern. |
IP Reference | GB1108139.5 |
Protection | Patent granted |
Year Protection Granted | 2011 |
Licensed | No |
Impact | The concept has underpinned further research work and international collaboration, leading to high-profile journal and conference papers. |
Title | OPTICAL DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS |
Description | First and second coherent light beams of the same wavelength are propagated in opposite directions to interact on a sub-wavelength thickness metallic metamaterial layer which is structured with a periodicity such that there is a resonance matched to the wavelength of the coherent beams. The first beam is then able to modulate the intensity of the second beam by modulating the phase and/or intensity of the first beam. The interference of the counter- propagating beams can eliminate or substantially reduce Joule loss of light energy in the metamaterial layer or, on the contrary, can lead to a near total absorption of light, depending on the mutual phase and/or intensity of the interacting beams. A modulation is thus provided without using a non-linear effect. |
IP Reference | WO2013144559 |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | 2013 |
Licensed | No |
Impact | The concept of 'coherent control in metamaterials' has seeded a number of research projects and become a core part of research activities, with experimental demonstrations extending the idea to the ultrafast time domain, quantum (single-photon) energy limit, and to coherent control not just of absorption but of optical polarization effects, refraction and selective (electric or magnetic) excitation spectroscopy, and the introduction of then the idea of all-optical data processing via coherent co |
Title | SUPER-OSCILLATORY LENS APPARATUS AND METHODS |
Description | An imaging apparatus is disclosed which uses a super-oscillatory lens to obtain sub-diffraction limit resolution. The super-oscillatory lens is arranged to receive a light beam from a light source, the lens having a pre-defined pattern to spatially modulate the light beam in amplitude and/or phase so that it focuses the light beam to a focus at a first focal point having a full width half maximum of less than half the wavelength. Collection optical elements are arranged to focus the first focal point to a second focal point conjugate to the first focal point. An object for imaging is scanned over the first focal point and a detector is arranged to collect light from a collection region centered on the second focal point. |
IP Reference | US2013235180 |
Protection | Patent granted |
Year Protection Granted | 2013 |
Licensed | No |
Impact | The super-oscillatory lens concept underpins ongoing research work, funded international collaborations, and discussions with potential industrial research sponsors/partners. It has led to a number of high-profile journal and conference papers. |
Title | SUPER-OSCILLATORY LENS DEVICE |
Description | A super-oscillatory lens (10) having a pre-defined pattern to spatially modulate the light beam in amplitude and/or phase which has a blocking element (6) formed integrally with the lens, or as a separate component adjacent to the lens, which is opaque to the light beam to cause diffraction of the light beam around the blocking element and formation of a shadow region (20). The lens and blocking element focus the light beam to form an elongate needle-shaped focus (15) in the shadow region (20). In any application in which it is necessary to scan a small spot over a surface, compared with a conventional objective lens focus the elongate shape of the focus relaxes the requirement on a feedback loop to maintain a constant separation between a scan head and a surface being scanned. The elongate shape is also ideal shape for materials processing applications. |
IP Reference | WO2013114075 |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | 2013 |
Licensed | No |
Impact | The super-oscillatory lens concept underpins ongoing research work, funded international collaborations, and discussions with potential industrial research sponsors/partners. It has led to a number of high-profile journal and conference papers. |
Title | Spectral Filter |
Description | This invention relates to use of metamaterials for creating spectral selectors of electromagnetic radiation. Planar metamaterial films patterned on the sub-wavelength scale can be used in polarization filters instead of natural and synthesized bulk crystals. Characteristics and the quality factor of metamaterial filters is controlled by the geometry of the pattern. Various types of metamaterials and filter configurations are proposed. |
IP Reference | US20110261441 |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | |
Licensed | No |
Impact | N/A |
Title | TUNABLE METAMATERIALS AND RELATED DEVICES |
Description | A tunable metamaterial comprising a membrane on which is arranged a two-dimensional array of elements to form a metamaterial, wherein the array is subdivided into blocks of multiple elements, each block being separated from adjacent blocks by a gap to allow each block to be moveable relative to its adjacent blocks. The lattice of the metamaterial and hence its properties are tuned by inducing adjacent blocks to move away from each other or towards each other either in-plane or out-of-plane in a controllable manner in response to an electrical, thermal or optical control signal. |
IP Reference | US2012327502 |
Protection | Patent granted |
Year Protection Granted | 2012 |
Licensed | No |
Impact | The reconfigurable metamaterial concept underpins a number of ingoing research projects (including projects supported by US and UK research funding agencies) and international collaborations, and has led to a number of high-profile journal and conference papers. The topic is one of the central pillars of a new EPSRC programme on "The Physics and Technology of Photonic Metadevices and Metasystems", which includes a number of industrial partners. |
Description | All-chalcogenide metasurface media attention |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Press release and editorial highlight by the journal Applied Physics Letters of the article "All-dielectric phase-change reconfigurable metasurface" [Karvounis, et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 109, 051103 (2016)], drew numerous enquiries and coverage by popular science media: Altmetric score 135 (March 2016). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | https://www.altmetric.com/details/10217876 |
Description | Big Bang Fair 2013 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Participation in EPSRC exhibit on Advanced Materials (Dr. MacDonald and programme students) at the largest celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) for young people in the UK, attracting 70,000 visitors. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
URL | https://www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/ |
Description | Cheltenham Science Festival 2013 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Presentation on photonic metamaterials and participation in panel discussion "Is the Age of Silicon Over" (Prof. Zheludev) and participation in EPSRC exhibit on Advanced Materials (Dr. MacDonald and programme students) at one of the UK's leading science festivals. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
URL | http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/science/ |
Description | EPSRC Science and Sandwiches |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Lunchtime presentation and Q&A session on Photonic Metamaterials at EPSRC headquarters |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | International Year of Light |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Contribution to the conception and establishment of the UNESCO International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies (Prof. Zheludev). Participation in several key IYL events including international and UK opening and closing ceremonies (Paris, Mexico City, London). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.light2015.org/Home/About.html |
Description | King Edward VI School visits |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Groups of six-form students and their teachers visit the Optoelectronics Research Centre, hosted by Nanophotonics and Metamaterials group's Dr Plum, to hear about world-leading scientific research, tour facilites, and meet research students. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014,2015,2016,2017 |
Description | Nature Webcast |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Webcast presentation and Q&A session on "The Future of Metamaterials and Metasurfaces", presented by the Nature Publishing Group and sponsored by Fujifilm |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.nature.com/webcasts/event/future-metamaterials/ |