Title: Ultrafast all-optical diffraction switching using semiconductor metasurfaces

Abstract

Ultrafast all-optical switching using Mie resonant metasurfaces requires both on-demand tunability of the wavefront of the light and ultrafast time response. However, devising a switching mechanism that has a high contrast between its “on” and “off” states without compromising speed is challenging. Here, we report the design of a tunable Mie resonant metasurface that achieves this behavior. Our approach utilizes a diffractive array of semiconductor resonators that support both dipolar and quadrupolar Mie resonances. By balancing the strengths of the dipole and quadrupole resonances, we can suppress radiation into the first diffraction order, thus creating a clearly delineated “off”-state at the operating wavelength. Then, we use optical injection of free- carriers to spectrally shift the multipoles and rebalance the multipole strengths, thereby enabling radiation into the diffraction order—all on an ultrafast timescale. We demonstrate ultrafast off-to-on switching with I_on/I_off ≈ 5 modulation of the diffracted intensity and ultrafast on-to-off switching with Ion/Ioff ≈ 9 modulation. Furthermore, both switches exhibit a fast τ_tr ≈ 2.7 ps relaxation time at 215 μJ cm^-2 pump fluence. Further, we show that for higher fluences, the temporal response of the metasurface is governed by thermo-optic effects. This combination of multipole engineering with lattice diffraction opensmore » design pathways for tunable metasurface-based integrated devices.« less

Authors:

Vabishchevich, Polina P.  ^[1];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Vabishchevich, Polina P."
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0003-0795-2314"

Vaskin, Aleksandr ^[2]; Karl, Nicholas  ^[1];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Karl, Nicholas"
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0001-8478-7856"

Reno, John L. ^[1]; Sinclair, Michael B. ^[3]; Staude, Isabelle  ^[4];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Staude, Isabelle"
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0001-8021-572X"

Brener, Igal  ^[1]

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Brener, Igal"
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-2139-5182"

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT)
2. Friedrich Schiller Univ. Jena (Germany). Abbe Center of Photonics, Inst. of Applied Physics
3. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT)
4. Friedrich Schiller Univ. Jena (Germany). Abbe Center of Photonics, Inst. of Applied Physics; Friedrich Schiller Univ. Jena (Germany). Abbe Center of Photonics, Inst. of Solid State Physics

Publication Date:

Wed May 26 00:00:00 EDT 2021

Research Org.:

Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Materials Sciences & Engineering Division

OSTI Identifier:

1810381

Report Number(s):

SAND-2021-7462J
Journal ID: ISSN 0003-6951; 697244; TRN: US2213033

Grant/Contract Number:  

AC04-94AL85000; NA0003525

Resource Type:

Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:

Applied Physics Letters

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Volume: 118; Journal Issue: 21; Journal ID: ISSN 0003-6951

Publisher:

American Institute of Physics (AIP)

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; thermo optic effects; optical properties; semiconductors; light scattering; metamaterials