Eur. Phys. J. Plus (2017) 132: 454
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/i2017-11731-2

Regular Article

Combining a fully switchable THz superconducting metamaterial with a 2DEG for ultra-strong coupling

¹ Institute of Quantum Electronics, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
² Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie (IFN), CNR, via Cineto Romano 42, 00156, Rome, Italy

^* e-mail: janine.keller@phys.ethz.ch

Received: 23 June 2017
Accepted: 29 September 2017
Published online: 3 November 2017

Abstract

We study terahertz (THz) superconducting split-ring resonators showing that the resonance of the metasurface is fully switchable via the superconducting transition, exhibiting a resonance only below the critical temperature and a critical magnetic field. Combining this metamaterial with a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG), which is forming Landau levels in magnetic field, we aim for an ultra-strongly coupled system. We report on experiments showing strong coupling between the excited cavity mode and the 2DEG and we discuss possible scenarios for observing ultra-strong coupling with the fundamental LC mode.