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Title: Phased-array sources based on nonlinear metamaterial nanocavities

Journal Article · · Nature Communications
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms8667· OSTI ID:1235337

Coherent superposition of light from subwavelength sources is an attractive prospect for the manipulation of the direction, shape and polarization of optical beams. This phenomenon constitutes the basis of phased arrays, commonly used at microwave and radio frequencies. Here we propose a new concept for phased-array sources at infrared frequencies based on metamaterial nanocavities coupled to a highly nonlinear semiconductor heterostructure. Optical pumping of the nanocavity induces a localized, phase-locked, nonlinear resonant polarization that acts as a source feed for a higher-order resonance of the nanocavity. Varying the nanocavity design enables the production of beams with arbitrary shape and polarization. As an example, we demonstrate two second harmonic phased-array sources that perform two optical functions at the second harmonic wavelength (~5 μm): a beam splitter and a polarizing beam splitter. As a result, proper design of the nanocavity and nonlinear heterostructure will enable such phased arrays to span most of the infrared spectrum.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
OSTI ID:
1235337
Report Number(s):
SAND-2015-20738J; 558185
Journal Information:
Nature Communications, Vol. 6, Issue 7; ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 107 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (39)

Polarization Generation and Manipulation Based on Nonlinear Plasmonic Metasurfaces journal March 2019
Resonant dielectric metasurfaces: active tuning and nonlinear effects journal July 2019
Steering second-harmonic radiation through local excitations of plasmon journal January 2019
Modeling of second harmonic generation in hole-doped silicon-germanium quantum wells for mid-infrared sensing journal January 2018
Nanostructured metals for light-based technologies journal March 2019
Controlling second-harmonic generation at the nanoscale with monolithic AlGaAs-on-AlOx antennas journal February 2017
Ultrathin Second‐Harmonic Metasurfaces with Record‐High Nonlinear Optical Response journal February 2016
Spin-Selective Second-Harmonic Vortex Beam Generation with Babinet-Inverted Plasmonic Metasurfaces journal July 2018
Nonlinear photonic metasurfaces journal March 2017
A metasurface optical modulator using voltage-controlled population of quantum well states journal November 2018
Fundamentals and Applications of Metasurfaces journal March 2017
Difference-Frequency Generation in Polaritonic Intersubband Nonlinear Metasurfaces journal August 2018
Flat metasurfaces to collimate electromagnetic waves with high efficiency journal January 2018
A review of dielectric optical metasurfaces for wavefront control journal June 2018
Mid-infrared second-harmonic generation in ultra-thin plasmonic metasurfaces without a full-metal backplane journal June 2018
Nonlinear metamaterials for holography journal August 2016
Nonlinear Plasmonic Metasurfaces journal July 2018
Composite functional metasurfaces for multispectral achromatic optics journal April 2017
Ultrathin gradient nonlinear metasurface with a giant nonlinear response journal January 2016
Subwavelength nonlinear phase control and anomalous phase matching in plasmonic metasurfaces journal January 2016
Gradient metasurfaces: a review of fundamentals and applications journal December 2017
Spin and wavelength multiplexed nonlinear metasurface holography journal June 2016
Third‐Harmonic Generation from Plasmonic Metasurfaces Coupled to Intersubband Transitions journal February 2019
Giant Efficiency of Visible Second-Harmonic Light by an All-Dielectric Multiple-Quantum-Well Metasurface journal December 2019
Advanced control of nonlinear beams with Pancharatnam-Berry metasurfaces journal December 2016
A review of metasurfaces: physics and applications journal June 2016
Inverse-designed photonic fibers and metasurfaces for nonlinear frequency conversion [Invited] journal January 2018
Continuously Tunable Acoustic Metasurface for Transmitted Wavefront Modulation journal November 2018
“Point-and-Shoot” Synthesis of Metallic Ring Arrays and Surface-Enhanced Optical Spectroscopy journal March 2018
Nonlinear Metamaterials for Holography text January 2015
Multiwavelength polarization insensitive lenses based on dielectric metasurfaces with meta-molecules text January 2016
A review of metasurfaces: physics and applications text January 2016
Composite Functional Metasurfaces for Multispectral Achromatic Optics text January 2016
Gradient metasurfaces: a review of fundamentals and applications text January 2017
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Electromagnetic Field in Hybrid Quantum Plasmonic-Photonic Systems journal April 2018
Epoxy-inspired Nonlinear Interface Integrating Monolayer Transition-Metal Dichalcogenides with Linear Plasmonic Nanosieves preprint January 2019
Photonics for Smart Cities book December 2016

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