Hybrid metamaterials for dynamic tuning

Advances in the field of metamaterials have created many new and exciting devices, but the performance and applicability of these devices to date have been hindered by the reliance on a dispersive resonance. In this talk we present a metamaterial device with the ability to dynamically tune the center frequency of its far-infrared resonance in real-time, alleviating many of the limitations of dispersion. Our device combines the familiar Split Ring Resonator (SRR) element with a thin film of rare earth oxide possessing a metal-to-insulator phase transition that occurs just above room temperature. During this phase transition, the electromagnetic responses of the oxide-film and SRR become intertwined, creating a sort of hybrid metamaterial. This interaction allows us to manipulate the resonance of the SRR via the oxide-film material properties. The device exhibits a dynamically tunable resonance -- shifting center frequency of the magnetically active SRR mode by as much as 20{\%} within 2 degrees Kelvin of temperature control.