Liquid Metal-Based Plasmonics
Ajay Nahata and Z. Valy Vardeny
Objective: To develop and
characterize new plasmonic
metamaterials in the terahertz (THz)
spectral range.
Approach: Explore unconventional
materials that are typically not suitable
for plasmonics applications at optical
frequencies but exhibit reasonable
conductivities at THz frequencies.
Results and Significance: Liquid
metals and well-developed microfluidic
technology can be used successfully to
create useful devices in a frequency
range commonly referred to as the
“gap in the electromagnetic spectrum.”
Top: Photograph of periodic array of
subwavelength holes formed using an elastomer
and filled with a liquid metal (eutectic gallium
indium). Bottom: Transmission properties of a
15×15 liquid metal array as a function of stretching
the device along only one axis.
Principal Investigators: Anil Virkar, Ajay Nahata & Brian Saam
NSF DMR 11-21252; www.mrsec.utah.edu