Polarization-Induced Chirality in Metamaterials via Optomechanical Interaction

A novel type of metamaterial is introduced, where the structural symmetry can be controlled by optical forces. Since symmetry sets fundamental bounds on the optical response, symmetry breaking changes the properties of metamaterials qualitatively over the entire resonant frequency band. This is achieved by a polarized pump beam, exerting optical forces which are not constrained by the structural symmetry. This new concept is illustrated for a metasurface composed of zig-zag chains of dipole meta-atoms, in which a highly asymmetric optical force exists for an appropriate incident polarization. The effect is employed to transform a planar achiral metasurface into a stereoscopic chiral structure. Importantly, the handedness of the induced chirality can be actively switched by changing the incident polarization. The proposed concept can be employed to achieve dynamic spatial control of metamaterials and metasurfaces at infrared and optical frequencies with subwavelength resolution.