Multistability and switching in a superconducting metamaterial
Journal article, 2014

The field of metamaterial research revolves around the idea of creating artificial media that interact with light in a way unknown from naturally occurring materials. This is commonly achieved using sub-wavelength lattices of electronic or plasmonic structures, so-called meta-atoms. One of the ultimate goals for these tailored media is the ability to control their properties in situ. Here we show that superconducting quantum interference devices can be used as fast, switchable meta-atoms. We find that their intrinsic nonlinearity leads to simultaneously stable dynamic states, each of which is associated with a different value and sign of the magnetic susceptibility in the microwave domain. Moreover, we demonstrate that it is possible to switch between these states by applying nanosecond-long pulses in addition to the microwave-probe signal. Apart from potential applications for this all-optical metamaterial switch, the results suggest that multistability can also be utilized in other types of nonlinear meta-atoms. © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

Author

P. Jung

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

S. Butz

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

M. Marthaler

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

M.V. Fistul

National University of Science & Technology (MISIS)

Ruhr-Universität Bochum

Juha Leppäkangas

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Applied Quantum Physics

V. P. Koshelets

National University of Science & Technology (MISIS)

National Research University of Electronic Technology (MIET)

A.V. Ustinov

National University of Science & Technology (MISIS)

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

Nature Communications

2041-1723 (ISSN) 20411723 (eISSN)

Vol. 5 3730

Areas of Advance

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Subject Categories

Condensed Matter Physics

DOI

10.1038/ncomms4730

More information

Latest update

4/5/2022 6