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Li R, Xu Y, Zhang S, Ma Y, Liu J, Zhou B, Wang L, Zhuo N, Liu J, Zhang J, Zhai S, Liu S, Liu F, Lu Q. High brightness terahertz quantum cascade laser with near-diffraction-limited Gaussian beam. LIGHT, SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS 2024; 13:193. [PMID: 39152111 PMCID: PMC11329767 DOI: 10.1038/s41377-024-01567-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
High-power terahertz (THz) quantum cascade laser, as an emerging THz solid-state radiation source, is attracting attention for numerous applications including medicine, sensing, and communication. However, due to the sub-wavelength confinement of the waveguide structure, direct beam brightness upscaling with device area remains elusive due to several mode competition and external optical lens is normally used to enhance the THz beam brightness. Here, we propose a metallic THz photonic crystal resonator with a phase-engineered design for single mode surface emission over a broad area. The quantum cascade surface-emitting laser is capable of delivering an output peak power over 185 mW with a narrow beam divergence of 4.4° × 4.4° at 3.88 THz. A high beam brightness of 1.6 × 107 W sr-1m-2 with near-diffraction-limited M2 factors of 1.4 in both vertical and lateral directions is achieved from a large device area of 1.6 × 1.6 mm2 without using any optical lenses. The adjustable phase shift between the lattices enables a stable and high-intensity surface emission over a broad device area, which makes it an ideal light extractor for large-scale THz emitters. Our research paves the way to high brightness solid-state THz lasers and facilitates new applications in standoff THz imaging, detection, and diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rusong Li
- Division of Quantum Materials and Devices, Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yunfei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Semiconductor Materials Science, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Shichen Zhang
- Division of Quantum Materials and Devices, Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yu Ma
- Division of Quantum Materials and Devices, Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Junhong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Semiconductor Materials Science, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Binru Zhou
- Division of Quantum Materials and Devices, Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Lijun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Semiconductor Materials Science, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Ning Zhuo
- Key Laboratory of Semiconductor Materials Science, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Junqi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Semiconductor Materials Science, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Jinchuan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Semiconductor Materials Science, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Shenqiang Zhai
- Key Laboratory of Semiconductor Materials Science, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Shuman Liu
- Key Laboratory of Semiconductor Materials Science, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Fengqi Liu
- Division of Quantum Materials and Devices, Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Semiconductor Materials Science, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Quanyong Lu
- Division of Quantum Materials and Devices, Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China.
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2
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Yu Z, He W, Hu S, Ren Z, Wan S, Cheng X, Hu Y, Jiang T. Creating Anti-Chiral Exceptional Points in Non-Hermitian Metasurfaces for Efficient Terahertz Switching. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2402615. [PMID: 38757557 PMCID: PMC11267315 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202402615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Non-Hermitian degeneracies, also known as exceptional points (EPs), have presented remarkable singular characteristics such as the degeneracy of eigenvalues and eigenstates and enable limitless opportunities for achieving fascinating phenomena in EP photonic systems. Here, the general theoretical framework and experimental verification of a non-Hermitian metasurface that holds a pair of anti-chiral EPs are proposed as a novel approach for efficient terahertz (THz) switching. First, based on the Pancharatnam-Berry (PB) phase and unitary transformation, it is discovered that the coupling variation of ±1 spin eigenstates will lead to asymmetric modulation in two orthogonal linear polarizations (LP). Through loss-induced merging of a pair of anti-chiral EPs, the decoupling of ±1 spin eigenstates are then successfully realized in a non-Hermitian metasurface. Final, the efficient THz modulation is experimentally demonstrated, which exhibits modulation depth exceeding 70% and Off-On-Off switching cycle less than 9 ps in one LP while remains unaffected in another one. Compared with conventional THz modulation devices, the metadevice shows several figures of merits, such as a single frequency operation, high modulation depth, and ultrafast switching speed. The proposed theory and loss-induced non-Hermitian device are general and can be extended to numerous photonic systems varying from microwave, THz, infrared, to visible light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongyi Yu
- College of Advanced Interdisciplinary StudiesNational University of Defense TechnologyChangsha410073P. R. China
| | - Weibao He
- College of Advanced Interdisciplinary StudiesNational University of Defense TechnologyChangsha410073P. R. China
| | - Siyang Hu
- College of Advanced Interdisciplinary StudiesNational University of Defense TechnologyChangsha410073P. R. China
| | - Ziheng Ren
- College of Advanced Interdisciplinary StudiesNational University of Defense TechnologyChangsha410073P. R. China
| | - Shun Wan
- College of Advanced Interdisciplinary StudiesNational University of Defense TechnologyChangsha410073P. R. China
| | - Xiang'ai Cheng
- College of Advanced Interdisciplinary StudiesNational University of Defense TechnologyChangsha410073P. R. China
| | - Yuze Hu
- Institute for Quantum Science and TechnologyCollege of ScienceNational University of Defense TechnologyChangsha410073P. R. China
| | - Tian Jiang
- Institute for Quantum Science and TechnologyCollege of ScienceNational University of Defense TechnologyChangsha410073P. R. China
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3
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Li R, Gong Y, Huang H, Zhou Y, Mao S, Wei Z, Zhang Z. Photonics for Neuromorphic Computing: Fundamentals, Devices, and Opportunities. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024:e2312825. [PMID: 39011981 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202312825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
In the dynamic landscape of Artificial Intelligence (AI), two notable phenomena are becoming predominant: the exponential growth of large AI model sizes and the explosion of massive amount of data. Meanwhile, scientific research such as quantum computing and protein synthesis increasingly demand higher computing capacities. As the Moore's Law approaches its terminus, there is an urgent need for alternative computing paradigms that satisfy this growing computing demand and break through the barrier of the von Neumann model. Neuromorphic computing, inspired by the mechanism and functionality of human brains, uses physical artificial neurons to do computations and is drawing widespread attention. This review studies the expansion of optoelectronic devices on photonic integration platforms that has led to significant growth in photonic computing, where photonic integrated circuits (PICs) have enabled ultrafast artificial neural networks (ANN) with sub-nanosecond latencies, low heat dissipation, and high parallelism. In particular, various technologies and devices employed in neuromorphic photonic AI accelerators, spanning from traditional optics to PCSEL lasers are examined. Lastly, it is recognized that existing neuromorphic technologies encounter obstacles in meeting the peta-level computing speed and energy efficiency threshold, and potential approaches in new devices, fabrication, materials, and integration to drive innovation are also explored. As the current challenges and barriers in cost, scalability, footprint, and computing capacity are resolved one-by-one, photonic neuromorphic systems are bound to co-exist with, if not replace, conventional electronic computers and transform the landscape of AI and scientific computing in the foreseeable future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renjie Li
- School of Science and Engineering, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Chips, Shenzhen Key Lab of Semiconductor Lasers, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518172, China
| | - Yuanhao Gong
- School of Science and Engineering, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Chips, Shenzhen Key Lab of Semiconductor Lasers, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518172, China
| | - Hai Huang
- School of Science and Engineering, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Chips, Shenzhen Key Lab of Semiconductor Lasers, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518172, China
| | - Yuze Zhou
- School of Science and Engineering, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Chips, Shenzhen Key Lab of Semiconductor Lasers, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518172, China
| | - Sixuan Mao
- School of Science and Engineering, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Chips, Shenzhen Key Lab of Semiconductor Lasers, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518172, China
| | - Zhijian Wei
- SONT Technologies Co. LTD, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 510245, China
| | - Zhaoyu Zhang
- School of Science and Engineering, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Chips, Shenzhen Key Lab of Semiconductor Lasers, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518172, China
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4
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Shen Y, Papasimakis N, Zheludev NI. Nondiffracting supertoroidal pulses and optical "Kármán vortex streets". Nat Commun 2024; 15:4863. [PMID: 38849349 PMCID: PMC11161654 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48927-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Supertoroidal light pulses, as space-time nonseparable electromagnetic waves, exhibit unique topological properties including skyrmionic configurations, fractal-like singularities, and energy backflow in free space, which however do not survive upon propagation. Here, we introduce the non-diffracting supertoroidal pulses (NDSTPs) with propagation-robust skyrmionic and vortex field configurations that persists over arbitrary propagation distances. Intriguingly, the field structure of NDSTPs has a similarity with the von Kármán vortex street, a pattern of swirling vortices in fluid and gas dynamics with staggered singularities that can stably propagate forward. NDSTPs will be of interest as directed channels for information and energy transfer applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijie Shen
- Centre for Disruptive Photonic Technologies, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences & The Photonics Institute, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637378, Singapore.
- School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
| | - Nikitas Papasimakis
- Optoelectronics Research Centre & Centre for Photonic Metamaterials, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Nikolay I Zheludev
- Centre for Disruptive Photonic Technologies, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences & The Photonics Institute, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637378, Singapore
- Optoelectronics Research Centre & Centre for Photonic Metamaterials, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
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5
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Liu J, Xu Y, Li R, Sun Y, Xin K, Zhang J, Lu Q, Zhuo N, Liu J, Wang L, Cheng F, Liu S, Liu F, Zhai S. High-power electrically pumped terahertz topological laser based on a surface metallic Dirac-vortex cavity. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4431. [PMID: 38789458 PMCID: PMC11126746 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48788-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Topological lasers (TLs) have attracted widespread attention due to their mode robustness against perturbations or defects. Among them, electrically pumped TLs have gained extensive research interest due to their advantages of compact size and easy integration. Nevertheless, limited studies on electrically pumped TLs have been reported in the terahertz (THz) and telecom wavelength ranges with relatively low output powers, causing a wide gap between practical applications. Here, we introduce a surface metallic Dirac-vortex cavity (SMDC) design to solve the difficulty of increasing power for electrically pumped TLs in the THz spectral range. Due to the strong coupling between the SMDC and the active region, robust 2D topological defect lasing modes are obtained. More importantly, enough gain and large radiative efficiency provided by the SMDC bring in the increase of the output power to a maximum peak power of 150 mW which demonstrates the practical application potential of electrically pumped TLs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhong Liu
- Laboratory of Solid-State Optoelectronics Information Technology, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yunfei Xu
- Laboratory of Solid-State Optoelectronics Information Technology, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rusong Li
- Division of Quantum Materials and Devices, Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yongqiang Sun
- Laboratory of Solid-State Optoelectronics Information Technology, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kaiyao Xin
- Laboratory of Solid-State Optoelectronics Information Technology, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jinchuan Zhang
- Laboratory of Solid-State Optoelectronics Information Technology, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Quanyong Lu
- Division of Quantum Materials and Devices, Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Ning Zhuo
- Laboratory of Solid-State Optoelectronics Information Technology, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Junqi Liu
- Laboratory of Solid-State Optoelectronics Information Technology, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lijun Wang
- Laboratory of Solid-State Optoelectronics Information Technology, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fengmin Cheng
- Laboratory of Solid-State Optoelectronics Information Technology, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shuman Liu
- Laboratory of Solid-State Optoelectronics Information Technology, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fengqi Liu
- Laboratory of Solid-State Optoelectronics Information Technology, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Shenqiang Zhai
- Laboratory of Solid-State Optoelectronics Information Technology, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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6
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Kawaguchi Y, Smirnova D, Komissarenko F, Kiriushechkina S, Vakulenko A, Li M, Alù A, Khanikaev AB. Pseudo-spin switches and Aharonov-Bohm effect for topological boundary modes. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadn6095. [PMID: 38608013 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adn6095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Topological boundary modes in electronic and classical-wave systems exhibit fascinating properties. In photonics, topological nature of boundary modes can make them robust and endows them with an additional internal structure-pseudo-spins. Here, we introduce heterogeneous boundary modes, which are based on mixing two of the most widely used topological photonics platforms-the pseudo-spin-Hall-like and valley-Hall photonic topological insulators. We predict and confirm experimentally that transformation between the two, realized by altering the lattice geometry, enables a continuum of boundary states carrying both pseudo-spin and valley degrees of freedom (DoFs). When applied adiabatically, this leads to conversion between pseudo-spin and valley polarization. We show that such evolution gives rise to a geometrical phase associated with the synthetic gauge fields, which is confirmed via an Aharonov-Bohm type experiment on a silicon chip. Our results unveil a versatile approach to manipulating properties of topological photonic states and envision topological photonics as a powerful platform for devices based on synthetic DoFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuma Kawaguchi
- Department of Electrical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Daria Smirnova
- Research School of Physics, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Filipp Komissarenko
- Department of Electrical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | | | - Anton Vakulenko
- Department of Electrical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Mengyao Li
- Institute of Materials Research, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Andrea Alù
- Department of Electrical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
- Photonics Initiative, Advanced Science Research Center, City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
- Physics Program, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Alexander B Khanikaev
- Department of Electrical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
- Physics Program, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Department of Physics, The City College of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
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7
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Zhang Q, Xing X, Zou D, Liu Y, Mao B, Zhang G, Ding X, Yao J, Wu L. Investigation of unidirectional coupling of dipole emitters in valley photonic heterostructure waveguides. OPTICS EXPRESS 2024; 32:415-424. [PMID: 38175072 DOI: 10.1364/oe.510304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Photonic heterostructure has recently become a promising platform to study topological photonics with the introduction of mode width degree of freedom (DOF). However, there is still a lack of comprehensive analysis on the coupling of dipole emitters in photonic heterostructures, which constrains the development of on-chip quantum optics based on chiral dipole sources. We systematically analyze the unidirectional coupling mechanism between dipole emitters and valley photonic heterostructure waveguides (VPHWs). With the eigenmode calculations and full-wave simulations, the Stokes parameters are obtained to compare the coupling performance of two types of valley-interface VPHWs. Simulation results show that compared to the zigzag interface with inversion symmetry, the strategy of bearded interface with glide symmetry is easier to realize high-efficiency coupling. By adjusting the position and chirality of dipole emitters in VPHWs, the transmission of light reverses with guided modes coupled to different directions. Furthermore, a topological beam modulator is realized based on VPHWs, which maintains the robustness to large-area potential barriers and sharp corners. Our work supplies a powerful guide for chiral light-matter interaction, which is expected to be applied to increasingly compact and efficient on-chip optical platforms in the future.
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8
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Wang L, Wu L, Pan Y. Perovskite Topological Lasers: A Brand New Combination. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 14:28. [PMID: 38202483 PMCID: PMC10781028 DOI: 10.3390/nano14010028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Nanolasers are the essential components of modern photonic chips due to their low power consumption, high energy efficiency and fast modulation. As nanotechnology has advanced, researchers have proposed a number of nanolasers operating at both wavelength and sub-wavelength scales for application as light sources in photonic chips. Despite the advances in chip technology, the quality of the optical cavity, the operating threshold and the mode of operation of the light source still limit its advanced development. Ensuring high-performance laser operation has become a challenge as device size has been significantly reduced. A potential solution to this problem is the emergence of a novel optical confinement mechanism using photonic topological insulator lasers. In addition, gain media materials with perovskite-like properties have shown great potential for lasers, a role that many other gain materials cannot fulfil. When combined with topological laser modes, perovskite materials offer new possibilities for the operation and emission mechanism of nanolasers. This study introduces the operating mechanism of topological lasers and the optical properties of perovskite materials. It then outlines the key features of their combination and discusses the principles, structures, applications and prospects of perovskite topological lasers, including the scientific hurdles they face. Finally, the future development of low-dimensional perovskite topological lasers is explored.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yong Pan
- College of Science, Xi’an University of Architecture & Technology, Xi’an 710055, China; (L.W.); (L.W.)
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9
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Ma J, Zhou T, Tang M, Li H, Zhang Z, Xi X, Martin M, Baron T, Liu H, Zhang Z, Chen S, Sun X. Room-temperature continuous-wave topological Dirac-vortex microcavity lasers on silicon. LIGHT, SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS 2023; 12:255. [PMID: 37872140 PMCID: PMC10593858 DOI: 10.1038/s41377-023-01290-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Robust laser sources are a fundamental building block for contemporary information technologies. Originating from condensed-matter physics, the concept of topology has recently entered the realm of optics, offering fundamentally new design principles for lasers with enhanced robustness. In analogy to the well-known Majorana fermions in topological superconductors, Dirac-vortex states have recently been investigated in passive photonic systems and are now considered as a promising candidate for robust lasers. Here, we experimentally realize the topological Dirac-vortex microcavity lasers in InAs/InGaAs quantum-dot materials monolithically grown on a silicon substrate. We observe room-temperature continuous-wave linearly polarized vertical laser emission at a telecom wavelength. We confirm that the wavelength of the Dirac-vortex laser is topologically robust against variations in the cavity size, and its free spectral range defies the universal inverse scaling law with the cavity size. These lasers will play an important role in CMOS-compatible photonic and optoelectronic systems on a chip.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Ma
- Department of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
- School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518172, China
| | - Taojie Zhou
- School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518172, China
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 7JE, UK
| | - Mingchu Tang
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 7JE, UK
| | - Haochuan Li
- School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518172, China
| | - Zhan Zhang
- School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518172, China
| | - Xiang Xi
- Department of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Mickael Martin
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA-LETI, MINATEC, Grenoble INP, LTM, F-38054, Grenoble, France
| | - Thierry Baron
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA-LETI, MINATEC, Grenoble INP, LTM, F-38054, Grenoble, France
| | - Huiyun Liu
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 7JE, UK
| | - Zhaoyu Zhang
- School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518172, China.
| | - Siming Chen
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 7JE, UK.
| | - Xiankai Sun
- Department of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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10
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Han S, Cui J, Chua Y, Zeng Y, Hu L, Dai M, Wang F, Sun F, Zhu S, Li L, Davies AG, Linfield EH, Tan CS, Kivshar Y, Wang QJ. Electrically-pumped compact topological bulk lasers driven by band-inverted bound states in the continuum. LIGHT, SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS 2023; 12:145. [PMID: 37308488 PMCID: PMC10261106 DOI: 10.1038/s41377-023-01200-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
One of the most exciting breakthroughs in physics is the concept of topology that was recently introduced to photonics, achieving robust functionalities, as manifested in the recently demonstrated topological lasers. However, so far almost all attention was focused on lasing from topological edge states. Bulk bands that reflect the topological bulk-edge correspondence have been largely missed. Here, we demonstrate an electrically pumped topological bulk quantum cascade laser (QCL) operating in the terahertz (THz) frequency range. In addition to the band-inversion induced in-plane reflection due to topological nontrivial cavity surrounded by a trivial domain, we further illustrate the band edges of such topological bulk lasers are recognized as the bound states in the continuum (BICs) due to their nonradiative characteristics and robust topological polarization charges in the momentum space. Therefore, the lasing modes show both in-plane and out-of-plane tight confinements in a compact laser cavity (lateral size ~3λlaser). Experimentally, we realize a miniaturized THz QCL that shows single-mode lasing with a side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR) around 20 dB. We also observe a cylindrical vector beam for the far-field emission, which is evidence for topological bulk BIC lasers. Our demonstration on miniaturization of single-mode beam-engineered THz lasers is promising for many applications including imaging, sensing, and communications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Han
- Centre for Optoelectronics and Biophotonics, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering & The Photonics Institute, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Jieyuan Cui
- Centre for Optoelectronics and Biophotonics, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering & The Photonics Institute, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yunda Chua
- Centre for Optoelectronics and Biophotonics, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering & The Photonics Institute, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yongquan Zeng
- Electronic Information School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Liangxing Hu
- Centre for Optoelectronics and Biophotonics, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering & The Photonics Institute, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mingjin Dai
- Centre for Optoelectronics and Biophotonics, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering & The Photonics Institute, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Fakun Wang
- Centre for Optoelectronics and Biophotonics, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering & The Photonics Institute, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Fangyuan Sun
- Centre for Optoelectronics and Biophotonics, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering & The Photonics Institute, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Song Zhu
- Centre for Optoelectronics and Biophotonics, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering & The Photonics Institute, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Lianhe Li
- School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | | | | | - Chuan Seng Tan
- Centre for Optoelectronics and Biophotonics, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering & The Photonics Institute, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yuri Kivshar
- Nonlinear Physics Center, Research School of Physics, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Qi Jie Wang
- Centre for Optoelectronics and Biophotonics, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering & The Photonics Institute, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
- Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
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