Volume 13, Issue 1

Nanostructures proved to be versatile platforms to control the electromagnetic field at subwavelength scale. Indeed, high-quality-factors nanocavities have been used to boost and control nonlinear frequency generation by increasing the light–matter interaction. However, nonlinear processes are triggered by high-intensities, which are provided by ultrashort laser pulses with large bandwidth, which cannot be fully exploited in such devices. Time-varying optical systems allow one to overcome the time-bandwidth limit by modulating the cavity external coupling. Here we present a general treatment, based on coupled mode theory, to describe second harmonic generation in a doubly resonant cavity for which the quality-factor at the fundamental frequency is modulated in time. We identify the initial quality factor maximizing second harmonic efficiency when performing Q -boosting and we predict a theoretical energy conversion efficiency close to unity. Our results have direct impact on the design of next generation time-dependent metasurfaces to boost nonlinear frequency conversion of ultrashort laser pulses.

In this paper, we report the use of femtosecond radially polarized vortex laser with MHz repetition rate for direct writing of cladding waveguides (WGs) and realization of waveguide laser oscillations in ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride crystal. The negative refractive index modification in Yb:CaF 2 crystal is fabricated by the homemade all-fiber laser amplifier. At 976 nm pump wavelength, these Yb:CaF 2 WGs can achieve continuous-wave (CW) laser oscillation. The length of resonant cavity is 4 mm, and the minimum laser threshold is 116 mW, corresponding to the propagation loss of 0.85 dB/cm, the center wavelength of 1045.2 nm, and the maximum output power of 91 mW. In addition, a saturable absorber mirror (SAM) was prepared by depositing ReS 0.8 Se 1.2 on the reflective surface of a dichroic mirror to realize Q-switched waveguide laser output. The output Q-switched pulses with a tunable repetition rate in the range of 125–692.5 kHz, and the shortest pulse duration is 513 ns.

Optical neural networks (ONNs) have gained significant attention due to their potential for high-speed and energy-efficient computation in artificial intelligence. The implementation of optical convolutions plays a vital role in ONNs, as they are fundamental operations within neural network architectures. However, state-of-the-art convolution architectures often suffer from redundant inputs, leading to substantial resource waste. Here, we demonstrate an integrated optical convolution architecture that leverages the inherent routing principles of arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) to execute the sliding of convolution kernel and summation of results. M × N multiply–accumulate (MAC) operations are facilitated by M + N units within a single clock cycle, thus eliminating the redundancy. In the experiment, we achieved 5 bit precision and 91.9 % accuracy in the handwritten digit recognition task confirming the reliability of our approach. Its redundancy-free architecture, low power consumption, high compute density (8.53 teraOP mm −1  s −1 ) and scalability make it a valuable contribution to the field of optical neural networks, thereby paving the way for future advancements in high-performance computing and artificial intelligence applications.

An optical phased array (OPA) with 2-D circular sparse array aperture has been proposed and demonstrated in the silicon integrated photonic platform. The sparse distribution of the antenna array can realize no grating lobes in 2-D full field of view (FOV). To achieve fast and accurate phase calibration for OPA, an improved rotating element electric field vector algorithm based on golden section search method (GSS-REV) has also been proposed and verified. The 32-element antenna sparse distribution of the proposed OPA is designed and fabricated. A far-field beam steering measurement across 20° × 20° range features the side lobe suppression ratio (SLSR) of larger than 4.81 dB and a full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of approximately 0.63° × 0.59°. The resolvable points are derived to be ∼1076. The OPA chip has also been demonstrated on range measurement with frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) system.

Active metasurfaces provide unique advantages for on-demand light manipulation at a subwavelength scale for emerging visual applications of displays, holographic projectors, optical sensors, light detection and ranging (LiDAR). These applications put stringent requirements on switching speed, cycling duration, electro-optical controllability, modulation contrast, optical efficiency and operation voltages. However, previous demonstrations focus only on particular subsets of these key performance requirements for device implementation, while the other performance metrics have remained too low for any practical use. Here, we demonstrate an active Huygens’ metasurface based on conductive polyaniline (PANI), which can be in-situ grown and optimized on the metasurface. We have achieved simultaneously on the active metasurface switching speed of 60 frame per second (fps), switching duration of more than 2000 switching cycles without noticeable degradation, hysteresis-free controllability over intermediate states, modulation contrast of over 1400 %, optical efficiency of 28 % and operation voltage range within 1 V. Such PANI-powered active metasurface design can be readily incorporated into other metasurface concepts to deliver high-reliability electrical control over its optical response, paving the way for compact and robust electro-optic metadevices.

Square-root topology is one of the newest additions to the ever expanding field of topological insulators (TIs). It characterizes systems that relate to their parent TI through the squaring of their Hamiltonians. Extensions to 2 n -root topology, where n is the number of squaring operations involved in retrieving the parent TI, were quick to follow. Here, we go one step further and develop the framework for designing general n -root TIs, with n any positive integer, using the Su–Schrieffer–Heeger (SSH) model as the parent TI from which the higher-root versions are constructed. The method relies on using loops of unidirectional couplings as building blocks, such that the resulting model is non-Hermitian and embedded with a generalized chiral symmetry. Edge states are observed at the n branches of the complex energy spectrum, appearing within what we designate as a ring gap, shown to be irreducible to the usual point or line gaps. We further detail on how such an n -root model can be realistically implemented in photonic ring systems. Near perfect unidirectional effective couplings between the main rings can be generated via mediating link rings with modulated gains and losses. These induce high imaginary gauge fields that strongly suppress couplings in one direction, while enhancing them in the other. We use these photonic lattices to validate and benchmark the analytical predictions. Our results introduce a new class of high-root topological models, as well as a route for their experimental realization.

Several optical microscopy methods are now available for characterizing scientific and industrial processes at sub-micron resolution. However, they are often ill-suited for imaging rapid events. Limited by the trade-off between camera frame-rate and sensitivity, or the need for mechanical scanning, current microscopes are optimized for imaging at hundreds of frames-per-second (fps), well-below what is needed in processes such as neuronal signaling or moving parts in manufacturing lines. Here, we present a scan-less technology that allows sub-micrometric imaging at thousands of fps. It is based on combining a single-pixel camera with parallelized encoded illumination. We use two acousto-optic deflectors (AODs) placed in a Mach–Zehnder interferometer and drive them simultaneously with multiple and unique acoustic frequencies. As a result, orthogonal light stripes are obtained that interfere with the sample plane, forming a two-dimensional array of flickering spots – each with its modulation frequency. The light from the sample is collected with a single photodiode that, after spectrum analysis, allows for image reconstruction at speeds only limited by the AOD’s bandwidth and laser power. We describe the working principle of our approach, characterize its imaging performance as a function of the number of pixels – up to 400 × 400 – and characterize dynamic events at 5000 fps.

Polarized light has promising applications in biological inspections, displays, and precise measurements. Direct emission of polarized light from a semiconductor device is highly desired in order to reduce the size and energy-consumption of the whole system. In this study, we demonstrate a semipolar GaN-based microcavity light-emitting diode (MCLED) that could simultaneously produce green light with perpendicular and parallel polarizations to the c* -axis. Orthogonally polarized emission with a narrow linewidth (∼0.2 nm) arises from the valence band splitting and birefringent nature of the semipolar GaN material, as well as the mode selection of the resonant cavity. By modulating the cavity length, the device is capable of switching between single- and multi-mode emission spectra. We believe that the approach of employing a cavity structure and semipolar GaN can be extended to produce orthogonally and linearly polarized blue, red, and violet light by adjusting the material compositions.

A twelve-channel local-area-network (LAN) wavelength-division multiplexing (LWDM) filter is proposed and demonstrated with a uniform channel spacing of 4.5 nm (800 GHz) in the O-band of 1270–1330 nm by using x-cut lithium-niobate-on-insulator (LNOI) photonic waveguides for the first time. The present LWDM filter consists of twelve single-channel bandpass filters based on multimode waveguide gratings (MWGs) assisted with a TE 0 /TE 1 mode (de)multiplexer. In particular, two stages of MWGs in cascade are introduced for each single-channel bandpass filter, in order to achieve high sidelobe suppression ratios, thus reducing interchannel crosstalk. For the fabricated twelve-channel LWDM filter, all the channels have very excellent box-like spectral responses with low excess losses of ∼0.6 dB, broad 1-dB bandwidths of ∼2.9–3.4 nm (which is close to 75 % of the channel spacing), and ultra-low interchannel crosstalk of <−40 dB in experiments. In addition, the present device is highly tolerant to the random variations of the etching depth (±20 nm) and the grating waveguide width (±20 nm) of the LNOI photonic waveguides, showing great potential for high-capacity WDM systems.

2D materials such as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are a new class of atomic-layer materials possessing optical and electric properties that significantly depend on the number of layers. Electronic transitions can be manipulated in artificial resonant electromagnetic (EM) fields using metasurfaces and other designed nanostructures. Here, we demonstrate prominently resonant enhancement in the photoluminescence (PL) of atomic monolayer, WS 2 , doped with a small quantity of Mo. The excitonic PL showed a strong enhancement effect on a higher-order magnetic resonance of all-dielectric metasurfaces consisting of periodic arrays of Si nanopellets. The PL intensity witnessed a 300-fold enhancement compared to the reference PL intensity on a flat silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) layer, which suggests a drastic change in the dynamics of photoexcited states. Confocal PL microscopy and the analysis revealed that the single photons were coherently emitted from the TMDC monolayer on the metasurface. Furthermore, examining the PL lifetime in the ps and ns timescales clarified two exponential components at the prominent exciton PL: a short-time component decaying in 22 ps and a long-time component lasting over 10 ns. Therefore, we can infer that the radiative components were significantly activated in the TMDC monolayer on the metasurfaces in comparison to the reference monolayer on a flat SiO 2 layer.