Using established nanofabrication techniques, we realize deeply subwavelength multilayer metal-dielectric nanostructures composed of silver and indium gallium arsenide phosphide (InGaAsP). In contrast to most, if not all, subwavelength multilayer metal-dielectric systems to date, the Bloch vector of the fabricated structure is parallel to the plane of the substrate, making it suitable for waveguide integration. InGaAsP multiple quantum wells (MQWs) are epitaxially grown on InP normal to the Bloch vector of the resulting multilayer. The associated carrier population of the MQWs allows for active control of the behavior of the nanostructure via external optical pumping. Individual layer thicknesses of 30nm are repeatedly achieved via electron-beam lithography, reactive ion etching of InGaAsP, and sputter deposition of silver. Resulting 60nm periods of the one-dimensional periodic structure are 25 times smaller than telecommunication wavelengths in vacuum. The realized multilayer nanostructures hold promise as a platform for active and tunable hyperbolic metamaterials at telecommunication frequencies.
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