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Development of Unconventional Nano‐Metamaterials from Viral Nano‐Building Blocks

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Change log

Authors

Passaretti, Paolo 
Schofield, Zoe 
Rickard, Jonathan James Stanley 
White, Henry 
Mahajan, Sumeet 

Abstract

jats:titleAbstract</jats:title>jats:pStructured metamaterials are periodically arranged nanostructures in which the dielectric constant is periodically modulated on a length‐scale comparable to the desired wavelength of operation. Interactions of the electric fields of light waves with the sub‐wavelength unit structures can produce effects that are impossible in natural materials. Here, a technique to construct three‐dimensional (3D) metamaterials using self‐assembling M13 viral building‐blocks as templates which are then replicated into a metal quasi‐3D nanostructure is developed. By correct fit of virus fragments, it is possible to employ them in a LEGO‐like way to build up well‐defined structures on the nanoscale. The virus blocks are designed to spontaneously assemble into 3D‐periodic network structures with interesting optical properties. Subsequently, templating of these nanostructures into inorganic materials allows the replication of their network into an inverse periodic metal structure, which has the appropriate architecture for optical metamaterials. Establishing such a technique provides an important link toward the realization of applied metamaterials potentially heralding a new era for developing novel types of bio‐synthetic optical materials. These materials have a wide range of potential uses including cloaking materials, light‐storage devices, high‐speed optical computers and nano‐lasers, and will offer numerous applications in transformation optics.</jats:p>

Description

Funder: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

Keywords

3403 Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry, 34 Chemical Sciences, 40 Engineering, 51 Physical Sciences, 4016 Materials Engineering, 4018 Nanotechnology, Bioengineering, Nanotechnology

Journal Title

Advanced Optical Materials

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2195-1071
2195-1071

Volume Title

Publisher

Wiley
Sponsorship
Wellcome Trust (174ISSFPP)
Royal Academy of Engineering (RF1415∖14∖28)
Defence Science and Technology Laboratories (DSTLX‐1000098511)
BAE Systems (1464085)