Design, Self-Assembly and Characterization of Three-Dimensional Metamaterials in the Infrared Region

非技术描述：在所有三个维度上具有周期性图案的微米和纳米结构超材料可以实现天然材料无法实现的新颖光学特性。然而，这些超材料是非常具有挑战性的，以微米长度尺度制造所需的工程师在红外区域的光学特性。该项目涉及三维材料的设计、组装和表征，这些材料由0.1至10微米的周期性单元组成，具有多面体几何形状和精确图案化的表面。这些超材料被设计为在中红外区域显示各种以前未实现的特性，具有环境监测，传感和生物医学工程的潜在应用。研究成果被纳入约翰霍普金斯大学的红外、微和纳米技术等教育课程。通过一系列的教育活动，该项目结合了K-12学生和本科生的研究经验和参与，包括那些来自当地巴尔的摩社区的代表性不足的群体。技术描述：该项目旨在设计和表征三维红外超材料的自组装的微型自折叠单元与多面体几何形状。该研究包括诸如“光子金属晶格”等新概念的发展，光子金属晶格联合收割机结合了超材料和光子晶体的吸引人的特征，以及可重构的超材料。后者探索了具有化学诱导金属-绝缘体转变的超材料。实验方法包括最先进的纳米和微米级光刻图案化，折纸启发和聚合三维自组装。此外，使用光学和电子显微镜和光谱进行表征，以研究结构和光学性能。同时，理论研究，最近发展的耦合模式方法的基础上进行，并通过数值方法模拟实验结果。

Nontechnical Description: The micro- and nano-structured metamaterials with periodic patterns in all three dimensions can enable novel optical properties that are not attainable in naturally occurring materials. However, these metamaterials are very challenging to fabricate at micrometer length scales required to engineer the optical properties in the infrared region. This project involves the design, assembly and characterization of three-dimensional materials composed of periodic units of 0.1 to 10 micrometer in size with polyhedral geometries and precisely patterned surfaces. These metamaterials are designed to display a variety of previously unrealized properties in the mid-infrared region with potential applications for environmental monitoring, sensing, and biomedical engineering. The research results are integrated into educational curricula such as Infrared, Micro and Nanotechnologies at Johns Hopkins University. Through a number of educational activities, the project incorporates research experiences and participation of K-12 students and undergraduates including those from under-represented groups in the local Baltimore community.Technical Description: This project aims to design and characterize 3D infrared metamaterials by the self-assembly of microsized self-folded units with polyhedral geometries. The research includes the development of novel concepts such as "photonic metalattices," which combine the attractive features of metamaterials and photonic crystals, and reconfigurable metamaterials. The latter explores metamaterials that feature a chemically induced metal-insulator transition. Experimental methods include state-of-the-art nano- and micro-scale lithographic patterning, origami inspired and aggregative three-dimensional self-assembly. Furthermore, characterization using optical and electron microscopy and spectroscopy is carried out in order to investigate structural and optical properties. Simultaneously, theoretical research, based on the recently developed coupled mode methods is performed, and augmented by numerical methods to model experimental results.