Date of Award

3-22-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Applied Physics

Department

Department of Engineering Physics

First Advisor

Michael A. Marciniak, PhD

Abstract

The future of optical devices involves manipulation of nanoscale structure in order to achieve full control over the properties of the device. In fields as diverse as directed energy, remote sensing, optical communications and optical computing, these devices promise to greatly improve performance and efficiency. To advance this further, novel samples that incorporate both photonic crystal (PhC) structure and metamaterial properties, known as PhC metamaterials, are proposed. These PhC metamaterials allow for complete control over the directionality of the light-matter interaction to serve in these new applications. To develop this technology, first, metamaterials with no PhC structure are fabricated using the technique of glancing angle deposition (GLAD) in the form of nanorod or nanohelical structures. These metamaterials are then characterized using Variable-Angle Spectral Ellipsometry (VASE) to extract their optical constants. Using these measured effective material parameters, a model for the corresponding metamaterial within a PhC structure was developed in COMSOL Multiphysics to calculate the photonic bandgap (PBG) of that structure. Results show that a material with a complete and large PBG can be achieved with these PhC metamaterials. Future measurements include that of the temperature dependence and polarimetric scatterometry of these PhC metamaterials.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-ENP-MS-19-M-077

DTIC Accession Number

AD1078142

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