Shape-Dependent, Chiro-optical Response of UV-Active, Nanohelix Metamaterials

We harness a synergy between morphology and the electromagnetic response of semiconducting material to engineer the chiro-optical properties of metamaterials that are active at ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths. Chiral metamaterials have recently ushered in new research directions in fundamental light–matter interactions, while simultaneously opening a range of promising photonics-based applications from polarization control to improved biosensing methods. Despite these recent advances, to date, very little attention has been focused upon engineered large UV–chiro-optical activity, where naturally occurring molecular optical activity bands are most typically encountered. Here, we systematically alter the morphology of titanium dioxide nanohelices, which make up the elements of the chiral metamaterials, to investigate how the nanoparticle shape affects chiro-optical activity across the UV spectrum. When the nanoscale critical dimensions fall within a particular size range, giant chiro-optical activity is observed, which is on the order of the strongest demonstrated in the UV to date and can be tuned by slight alterations of the nanohelices’ morphology.