Nonlinear metasurface engineering with disordered gold nanorods on ITO: a cost-effective approach to broadband response, polarization-independence, and weak nonlinear index dispersion

The strong coupling of epsilon -near -zero materials with nanoantennas has demonstrated enhanced nonlinear optical responses, yet practical challenges persist. Here, we propose an alternative: an ultrathin metasurface featuring broadband response with a weakly dispersive nonlinear index, achieved through a simple implementation. Our metasurface, comprising a disordered gold nanorod array on indium tin oxide, exhibits polarization -independent behavior and a large average nonlinear refractive index of 5 cm 2 /GW across a broad wavelength range (1000-1300 nm). Enhanced performance is attributed to the weak coupling between gold nanorods and indium tin oxide, offering a cost-effective method for nonlinear optical metasurfaces and a flexible design in nanophotonic applications. (c) 2024 Optica Publishing Group