Metamaterials: Optical activity without chirality

E. Plum, X.-X. Liu, V.A. Fedotov, Y. Chen, Din-ping Tsai, N.I. Zheludev

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

481 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We report that the classical phenomenon of optical activity, which is traditionally associated with chirality (helicity) of organic molecules, proteins, and inorganic structures, can be observed in artificial planar media which exhibit neither 3D nor 2D chirality. We observe the effect in the microwave and optical parts of the spectrum at oblique incidence to regular arrays of nonchiral subwavelength metamolecules in the form of strong circular dichroism and birefringence indistinguishable from those of chiral three-dimensional media. © 2009 The American Physical Society.
Original languageEnglish
Article number113902
JournalPhysical Review Letters
Volume102
Issue number11
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 19 Mar 2009
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physics and Astronomy(all)

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