Resonators: Small 3/2009

The cover image shows a scanning electron microscopy image of periodically arranged metallic split-ring resonators, which are manufactured by tilted-angle-rotation thermal evaporation of gold onto Langmuir–Blodgett-type monolayers of close-packed polystyrene nanospheres. The split rings with dimensions smaller than the wavelength of light are deposited within the nanosphere gaps and form a metamaterial with pronounced, tunable optical resonances in the range of 100 THz. The presented technique allows control of the inner- and outer-ring diameters, gap angles, as well as thickness and periodicity. Being a flexible and reliable alternative to electron-beam lithography, this method should therefore pave the way towards cheap, large-area metamaterials for applications such as perfect lenses and optical cloaking devices. For more information, please read the Full Paper “Periodic Large-Area Metallic Split-Ring Resonator Metamaterial Fabrication Based on Shadow Nanosphere Lithography” by H. Giessen et al. beginning on page 400. (Cover artwork by S. Hein.).