Electrostriction enhancement in metamaterials

Abstract

We demonstrate a controllable enhancement in the electrostrictive properties of a medium using dilute composite artificial materials. Analytical expressions for the composite electrostriction are derived and used to show that enhancement, tunability and suppression can be achieved through a careful choice of constituent materials. Numerical examples with Ag, As${}_2$S${}_3$, Si and SiO${}_2$ demonstrate that even in a non-resonant regime, artificial materials can bring more than a threefold enhancement in the electrostriction.

8 pages, 5 figures, to appear in Physical Review B