Open Access Published by De Gruyter

Volume 11 Issue 15

August 2022

Issue of Nanophotonics

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Contents
Journal Overview

Publicly Available August 2, 2022

Review

Open Access June 27, 2022

Super-resolution optical microscopy using cylindrical vector beams

Min Liu, Yunze Lei, Lan Yu, Xiang Fang, Ying Ma, Lixin Liu, Juanjuan Zheng, Peng Gao

Page range: 3395-3420

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Abstract

Super-resolution optical microscopy, which gives access to finer details of objects, is highly desired for fields of nanomaterial, nanobiology, nanophotonics, etc. Many efforts, including tip optimization and illumination optimization etc., have been made in both near-field and far-field super-resolution microscopy to achieve a spatial resolution beyond the diffraction limit. The development of vector light fields opens up a new avenue for super-resolution optical microscopy via special illumination modes. Cylindrical vector beam (CVB) has been verified to enable resolution improvement in tip-scanning imaging, nonlinear imaging, stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy, subtraction imaging, superoscillation imaging, etc. This paper reviews recent advances in CVB-based super-resolution imaging. We start with an introduction of the fundamentals and properties of CVB. Next, strategies for CVB based super-resolution imaging are discussed, which are mainly implemented by tight focusing, depletion effect, plasmonic nanofocusing, and polarization matching. Then, the roadmap of super-resolution imaging with CVB illumination in the past two decades is summarized. The typical CVB-based imaging techniques in fields of both near-field and far-field microscopy are introduced, including tip-scanning imaging, nonlinear imaging, STED, subtraction imaging, and superoscillation imaging. Finally, challenges and future directions of CVB-illuminated super-resolution imaging techniques are discussed.

Research Articles

Open Access June 20, 2022

Multi-moded high-index contrast optical waveguide for super-contrast high-resolution label-free microscopy

Nikhil Jayakumar, Firehun T. Dullo, Vishesh Dubey, Azeem Ahmad, Florian Ströhl, Jennifer Cauzzo, Eduarda Mazagao Guerreiro, Omri Snir, Natasa Skalko-Basnet, Krishna Agarwal, Balpreet Singh Ahluwalia

Page range: 3421-3436

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Abstract

The article elucidates the physical mechanism behind the generation of superior-contrast and high-resolution label-free images using an optical waveguide. Imaging is realized by employing a high index contrast multi-moded waveguide as a partially coherent light source. The modes provide near-field illumination of unlabeled samples, thereby repositioning the higher spatial frequencies of the sample into the far-field. These modes coherently scatter off the sample with different phases and are engineered to have random spatial distributions within the integration time of the camera. This mitigates the coherent speckle noise and enhances the contrast (2–10) × as opposed to other imaging techniques. Besides, the coherent scattering of the different modes gives rise to fluctuations in intensity. The technique demonstrated here is named chip-based Evanescent Light Scattering (cELS). The concepts introduced through this work are described mathematically and the high-contrast image generation process using a multi-moded waveguide as the light source is explained. The article then explores the feasibility of utilizing fluctuations in the captured images along with fluorescence-based techniques, like intensity-fluctuation algorithms, to mitigate poor-contrast and diffraction-limited resolution in the coherent imaging regime. Furthermore, a straight waveguide is demonstrated to have limited angular diversity between its multiple modes and therefore, for isotropic sample illumination, a multiple-arms waveguide geometry is used. The concepts introduced are validated experimentally via high-contrast label-free imaging of weakly scattering nanosized specimens such as extra-cellular vesicles (EVs), liposomes, nanobeads and biological cells such as fixed and live HeLa cells.

Open Access June 29, 2022

Resonant multilevel optical switching with phase change material GST

Di Wu, Xing Yang, Ningning Wang, Liangjun Lu, Jianping Chen, Linjie Zhou, B. M. Azizur Rahman

Page range: 3437-3446

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Abstract

We demonstrate a multilevel optical memristive switch based on a silicon Fabry–Perot resonator. The resonator is constructed by a pair of waveguide Bragg gratings at the ends of a multimode interferometer (MMI) covered with sub-micrometer-size Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 (GST) thin film on top. The interaction between the optical field and GST is greatly enhanced due to the resonant effect. The GST phase transition is triggered by applying electrical pulses to the doped-silicon microheater. Light is transmitted when GST is amorphous while it is highly absorbed by the crystalline GST at the resonance wavelength, leading to a higher on-off extinction ratio (ER) compared to the non-resonant device. The resonant device achieves a maximum transmission contrast of 10.29 dB and a total of 38 distinct nonvolatile switching levels. Our work provides an effective solution to improving the multilevel switching performance of phase-change devices and paves the way for future nonvolatile silicon photonics devices.

Open Access June 20, 2022

Geometry-dependent skin effects in reciprocal photonic crystals

Zhening Fang, Mengying Hu, Lei Zhou, Kun Ding

Page range: 3447-3456

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Abstract

Skin effect that all eigenmodes within a frequency range become edge states is dictated by the topological properties of complex eigenvalues unique in non-Hermitian systems. The prevailing attempts to realize such a fascinating effect are confined to either one-dimensional or nonreciprocal systems exhibiting asymmetric couplings. Here, inspired by a recent model Hamiltonian theory, we propose a realistic reciprocal two-dimensional (2D) photonic crystal (PhC) system that shows the desired skin effect. Specifically, we establish a routine for designing such non-Hermitian systems via revealing the inherent connections between the nontrivial eigenvalue topology of order-2 exceptional points (EPs) and the skin effects. Guided by the proposed strategy, we successfully design a 2D PhC that possesses the EPs with nonzero eigenvalue winding numbers. The spectral area along a specific wavevector direction is then formed by leveraging the symmetry of the macroscopic geometry and the unit cell. The projected-band-structure calculations are performed to demonstrate that the desired skin effect exists at the specific crystalline interfaces. We finally employ time-domain simulations to vividly illustrate this phenomenon by exciting a pulse at the center of a finite-sized PhC. Our results form a solid basis for further experimental confirmations and applications of the skin effect.

Open Access June 21, 2022

Steering coherence in quantum dots by carriers injection via tunneling

Igor Khanonkin, Sven Bauer, Ori Eyal, Johann Peter Reithmaier, Gadi Eisenstein

Page range: 3457-3463

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Abstract

Coherent control is a key experimental technique for quantum optics and quantum information processing. We demonstrate a new degree of freedom in coherent control of semiconductor quantum dot (QD) ensembles operating at room temperature using the tunneling injection (TI) processes in which charge carriers tunnel directly from a quantum well reservoir to QD confined states. The TI scheme was originally proposed and implemented to improve QD lasers and optical amplifiers, by providing a direct injection path of cold carriers thereby eliminating the hot carrier injection problem which enhances gain nonlinearity. The impact of the TI processes on the coherent time of the QDs was never considered, however. We show here that since the cold carriers that tunnel to the oscillating QD state are incoherent, the rate of injection determines the coherent time of the QDs thereby controlling coherent light–matter interactions. Coherent interactions by means of Rabi oscillations were demonstrated in absorption and for weak excitation pulses in the gain regime. However, Rabi oscillations are totally diminished under strong excitation pulses which increase the rate of stimulated emission, causing the tunneling processes to dominate what shortens the coherence time significantly. Since the tunneling rate, and hence, the coherence time, were controlled by the optical excitation and electrical bias, our finding paves the way for TI-based coherence switching on a sub-picosecond time scale in room-temperature semiconductor nanometric structures.

Open Access June 22, 2022

Nonlinear localized modes in one-dimensional nanoscale dark-state optical lattices

Zhiming Chen, Jianhua Zeng

Page range: 3465-3474

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Abstract

Optical lattices (OLs) with conventional spatial periodic λ /2, formed by interfering the counterpropagating laser beams with wavelength λ , are versatile tools to study the dynamical and static properties of ultracold atoms. OLs with subwavelength spatial structure have been realized in recent quantum-gas experiment, offering new possibility for nonlinear and quantum control of ultracold atoms at the nano scale. Herein, we study theoretically and numerically the formation, property, and dynamics of matter-wave localized gap modes of Bose–Einstein condensates loaded in a one-dimensional nanoscale dark-state OL consisted of an array of optical subwavelength barriers. The nonlinear localized modes, in the forms of on- and off-site fundamental gap solitons, and dipole ones, are demonstrated; and we uncover that, counterintuitively, these modes exhibit always a cusplike (side peaks) mode even for a deeply subwavelength adiabatic lattice, contrary to the previously reported results in conventional deep OLs where the localized gap modes are highly confined in a single lattice cell. The (in)stability features of all the predicted localized modes are verified through the linear-stability analysis and direct perturbed simulations. Our predicted results are attainable in current ultracold atoms experiments with the cutting-edge technique, pushing the nonlinear control of ultracold atoms with short-period OLs as an enabling technology into subwavelength structures.

Open Access June 28, 2022

Chirality-modulated photonic spin Hall effect in PT-symmetry

Chengkang Liang, Dongxue Liu, Rao Liu, Dongmei Deng, Guanghui Wang

Page range: 3475-3484

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Abstract

The photonic spin Hall effect (PSHE), featured by a spin-dependent shift driven by its polarization handedness, is proposed to facilitate the applications in precision metrology and quantum information processing. Here, due to the magnetoelectric coupling of the chirality, the PSHE is accompanied with Goos–Hänchen and Imbert–Fedorov effects. Taking advantage of this superiority, the transverse shift (TS) and longitudinal shift (LS) can be applied simultaneously. Rearranging the PT-symmetric scattering matrix, the responsive PSHE near the exceptional points and their basic physical mechanisms are discussed in detail in the case of complex chirality κ . Re[ κ ] and Im[ κ ] regulated the rich (at multi-angle), gaint (reach upper limit) and tunable (magnitude and direction) TS and LS, respectively. Based on the chirality-modulated PSHE, the novel applications in binary code conversion and barcode encryption are proposed systematically. By incorporating the quantum weak measurement technology, our applications provide new mechanisms to realize optoelectronic communication.

Open Access July 6, 2022

Infrared nanoplasmonic properties of hyperdoped embedded Si nanocrystals in the few electrons regime

Meiling Zhang, Jean-Marie Poumirol, Nicolas Chery, Clément Majorel, Rémi Demoulin, Etienne Talbot, Hervé Rinnert, Christian Girard, Fuccio Cristiano, Peter R. Wiecha, Teresa Hungria, Vincent Paillard, Arnaud Arbouet, Béatrice Pécassou, Fabrice Gourbilleau, Caroline Bonafos

Page range: 3485-3493

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Abstract

Using localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) as an optical probe we demonstrate the presence of free carriers in phosphorus doped silicon nanocrystals (SiNCs) embedded in a silica matrix. In small SiNCs, with radius ranging from 2.6 to 5.5 nm, the infrared spectroscopy study coupled to numerical simulations allows us to determine the number of electrically active phosphorus atoms with a precision of a few atoms. We demonstrate that LSP resonances can be supported with only about 10 free electrons per nanocrystal, confirming theoretical predictions and probing the limit of the collective nature of plasmons. We reveal the appearance of an avoided crossing behavior linked to the hybridization between the localized surface plasmon in the doped nanocrystals and the silica matrix phonon modes. Finally, a careful analysis of the scattering time dependence versus carrier density in the small size regime allows us to detect the appearance of a new scattering process at high dopant concentration, which can be explained by P clustering inside the SiNCs.

Open Access July 7, 2022

Edge states in plasmonic meta-arrays

Qiuchen Yan, En Cao, Xiaoyong Hu, Zhuochen Du, Yutian Ao, Saisai Chu, Quan Sun, Xu Shi, C. T. Chan, Qihuang Gong, Hiroaki Misawa

Page range: 3495-3507

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Abstract

Photonic edge states provide a novel platform to control and enhance light–matter interactions. Recently, it becomes increasing popular to generate such localized states using the bulk-edge correspondence of topological photonic crystals. While the topological approach is elegant, the design and fabrication of these complex photonic topological crystals is tedious. Here, we report a simple and effective strategy to construct and steer photonic edge state in a plasmonic meta-array, which just requires a small number of plasmonic nanoparticles to form a simple lattice. To demonstrate the idea, different lattice configurations, including square, triangular, and honeycomb lattices of meta-arrays, are fabricated and measured by using an ultrahigh spatial resolution photoemission electron microscopy. The properties of edge states depend on the geometric details such as the row and column number of the lattice, as well as the gap distance between the particles. Moreover, numerical simulations show that the excited edge states can be used for the generation of the quantum entanglement. This work not only provides a new platform for the study of nanoscale photonic devices, but also open a new way for the fundamental study of nanophotonics based on edge states.

Open Access July 11, 2022

Surface-wave coupling in double Floquet sheets supporting phased temporal Wood anomalies

Ya-Wen Tsai, Yao-Ting Wang, Emanuele Galiffi, Andrea Alù, Ta-Jen Yen

Page range: 3509-3517

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Abstract

We investigate symmetry-selective surface-mode excitation in a general periodically time-modulated double-layer system, where the modulation of the two layers has a constant phase difference. By deriving a semi-analytic transfer matrix formalism of a Drude-dispersive double-layer structure with periodic time-modulation, we calculate the scattering amplitudes and the corresponding transmission coefficient. Our results show that the phase-difference between the modulation of the two sheets plays an essential role in significantly enhancing and selectively exciting either the even or odd surface mode with high efficiency. We verify our calculations with full-wave time-domain simulations, showing that efficient switching between the surface-wave excitation of the two distinct modal channels can be achieved, even under illumination from a single off-resonant Gaussian pulse, by controlling the phase difference between the two modulations. Our results pave the way towards ultrafast, symmetry-selective mode excitation and switching via temporal modulation.

Open Access July 12, 2022

Ultrahigh-performance vector magnetic field sensor with wedge-shaped fiber tip based on surface plasmon resonance and magnetic fluid

Zijian Hao, Yongxi Li, Shengli Pu, Jia Wang, Fan Chen, Mahieddine Lahoubi

Page range: 3519-3528

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Abstract

A novel fiber-optic vector magnetic field sensor and its sensing quality dependent of fabrication method has been proposed and investigated. The proposed sensor has two surfaces on the tip of a multimode fiber, which is used as the sensing probe. By plating different thickness of gold film on the surfaces, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) can be generated and the signal can be reflected by the surfaces as well. Meanwhile, magnetic fluid (MF) as the magnetic field sensitive material is packed around the sensing probe. The experimental results prove that the response of MF to external magnetic field can be used to sense magnetic field intensity and direction via monitoring the dip wavelength of SPR. The obtained refractive index (RI) sensitivities are 2105 nm/RIU (RI range: 1.332–1.365) and 6692 nm/RIU (RI range: 1.372–1.411), magnetic field intensity sensitivities are 11.67 nm/mT (0°), and −0.47 nm/mT (90°). Besides, the proposed sensing probe is ultracompact and the footprint is extremely small (the length of sensing part is only 615 μm), which is very helpful for magnetic field detection in narrow space and gradient field.

Erratum

Open Access July 11, 2022

Erratum to: Controlling the plasmon resonance via epsilon-near-zero multilayer metamaterials

Mohsin Habib, Daria Briukhanova, Nekhel Das, Bilge Can Yildiz, Humeyra Caglayan

Page range: 3529-3529

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About this journal

Nanophotonics covers recent international research results, specific developments in the field and novel applications and is published in partnership with Sciencewise. It belongs to the top journals in the field. Nanophotonics focuses on the interaction of photons with nano-structures, such as carbon nano-tubes, nano metal particles, nano crystals, semiconductor nano dots, photonic crystals, tissue and DNA. The journal covers the latest developments for physicists, engineers and material scientists, working in fields related to:

Plasmonics: metallic nanostructures and their optical properties
Meta materials, fundamentals and applications
Nanophotonic concepts and devices for solar energy harvesting and conversion
Near-field optical microscopy
Nanowaveguides and devices
Nano Lasers
Nanostructures, nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanowires, nanofibers
Photonic crystals
Integrated silicon photonics
Semiconductor quantum dots
Quantum optics & Quantum information
Ultrafast and nonlinear pulse propagation in nano materials and structures
Light-matter interaction, optical manipulation techniques
Nano-biophotonics
Optofluidics
Optomechanics
System applications based on nanophotonic devices
Nanofabrication techniques, thin film processing, self-assembly

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Publication Metrics

Average time from submission to initial Editorial Manager assessment: 5 days
Average time from submission to final decision (all article types): 57 days
Average time from acceptance to publication: 13 days

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Early Career Award 2023

The Early Career Award for 2023 is now open and welcoming nominations!

Do you know someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of nanophotonics? Nominate them for the Nanophotonics Early Career Award! This prestigious award recognizes four early career scientists annually for their accomplishments. Help them gain the recognition they deserve by submitting a nomination.

The award winners are awarded a prize of 1000 EUR and a waiver for publishing in Nanophotonics without charge.
Visit the award webpage for more information on the award, the criteria, and how to submit your nomination.
This award is fully sponsored by the Nanophotonics journal.

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Celebrating Young Scientists at Conferences

Nanophotonics supports young scientists through the sponsorship of poster awards at global conferences, recognizing the work of over 50 researchers every year. Please visit the winners' gallery to view their accomplishments.

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Special/Topical Issues

Published in 2023:

Quantum Nanophotonics (Guest Editors: Jaehyuck Jang, Minsu Jeong, and Junsuk Rho)
Neural network learning with photonics and for photonic circuit design (Guest Editors: Daniel Brunner, Miguel C. Soriano, and Shanhui Fan)
Nanofabrication (Guest Editors: Maria Farsari, Sang-Hyun Oh, and Joel Yang) 　
Metamaterials and Plasmonics in Asia (Guest Editors: Lei Zhou, JeongWeon Wu, Q-Han Park, Namkyoo Park and Teruya Ishihara)
Nanophotonics in support of Ukrainian Scientists (Guest Editors: Nader Engheta and Nikolay Zheludev; Publishing Editor: Dennis Couwenberg)

Published in 2022:

Photonic Angular Momentum (Guest Editors: Andrew Forbes, Qiwen Zhan and Siddharth Ramachandran)
New Trends in Nanophotonics and Advanced Photonic Materials (Guest Editor: Junsuk Rho)
Metamaterials and Plasmonics in Asia (Guest Editors: Lei Zhou, Tiejun Cui, JeongWeon Wu and Teruya Ishihara)
Tunable Nanophotonics (Guest Editors: Juejun Hu, Arseniy I. Kuznetsov, Volker J. Sorger, and Isabelle Staude)
Novel Two-Dimensional Materials Based Bio-Nanophotonic (Guest Editors: Hans Ågren, Jong Seung Kim and Han Zhang)

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Highly cited articles:

Polariton panorama
by D. N. Basov, Ana Asenjo-Garcia, P. James Schuck, Xiaoyang Zhu, Angel Rubio

Ultrasensitive terahertz sensing with high-Q toroidal dipole resonance governed by bound states in the continuum in all-dielectric metasurface
by Yulin Wang, Zhanghua Han, Yong Du, Jianyuan Qin

Non-Hermitian and topological photonics: optics at an exceptional point
by Midya Parto, Yuzhou G. N. Liu, Babak Bahari, Mercedeh Khajavikhan, Demetrios N. Christodoulides

Metasurfaces for biomedical applications: imaging and sensing from a nanophotonics perspective
by Shuyan Zhang, Chi Lok Wong, Shuwen Zeng, Renzhe Bi, Kolvyn Tai, Kishan Dholakia, Malini Olivo

THz spintronic emitters: a review on achievements and future challenges
by Evangelos Th. Papaioannou and René Beigang

Machine learning–assisted global optimization of photonic devices
by Zhaxylyk A. Kudyshev, Alexander V. Kildishev, Vladimir M. Shalaev, Alexandra Boltasseva

Topological photonics: Where do we go from here?
by Mordechai Segev, Miguel A. Bandres

Highly ordered arrays of hat-shaped hierarchical nanostructures with different curvatures for sensitive SERS and plasmon-driven catalysis
by Chao Zhang, Zhaoxiang Li, Si Qiu, Weixi Lu, Mingrui Shao, Chang Ji, Guangcan Wang, Xiaofei Zhao, Jing Yu and Zhen Li

Review on fractional vortex beam
by Hao Zhang, Jun Zeng, Xingyuan Lu, Zhuoyi Wang, Chengliang Zhao and Yangjian Cai

Orbital angular momentum and beyond in free-space optical communications
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Volume 11 Issue 15

Issue of Nanophotonics

Frontmatter

Super-resolution optical microscopy using cylindrical vector beams

Abstract

Multi-moded high-index contrast optical waveguide for super-contrast high-resolution label-free microscopy

Abstract

Resonant multilevel optical switching with phase change material GST

Abstract

Geometry-dependent skin effects in reciprocal photonic crystals

Abstract

Steering coherence in quantum dots by carriers injection via tunneling

Abstract

Nonlinear localized modes in one-dimensional nanoscale dark-state optical lattices

Abstract

Chirality-modulated photonic spin Hall effect in PT-symmetry

Abstract

Infrared nanoplasmonic properties of hyperdoped embedded Si nanocrystals in the few electrons regime

Abstract

Edge states in plasmonic meta-arrays

Abstract

Surface-wave coupling in double Floquet sheets supporting phased temporal Wood anomalies

Abstract

Ultrahigh-performance vector magnetic field sensor with wedge-shaped fiber tip based on surface plasmon resonance and magnetic fluid

Abstract

Erratum to: Controlling the plasmon resonance via epsilon-near-zero multilayer metamaterials