Nanoscale optical pulse limiter enabled by refractory metallic quantum wells
Autor: | Zhaowei Liu, Yingmin Li, Ching-fu Chen, Wenfan Chen, Shilong Li, Steven Edward Bopp, Haoliang Qian, Wei Xiong, Yeon Ui Lee |
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Rok vydání: | 2020 |
Předmět: |
Materials science
Materials Science Nanophotonics Physics::Optics 02 engineering and technology 01 natural sciences law.invention 010309 optics law 0103 physical sciences Limiter Miniaturization Quantum information science Research Articles Quantum well Multidisciplinary business.industry SciAdv r-articles Nonlinear optics Optics Condensed Matter::Mesoscopic Systems and Quantum Hall Effect 021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology Laser Optoelectronics 0210 nano-technology business Ultrashort pulse Research Article |
Zdroj: | Science Advances Science advances, vol 6, iss 20 |
ISSN: | 2375-2548 |
Popis: | Sub–100-nm metallic quantum well heterostructures are able to restrict optical pulses with the intensity up to 400 GW/cm2. The past several decades have witnessed rapid development of high-intensity, ultrashort pulse lasers, enabling deeper laboratory investigation of nonlinear optics, plasma physics, and quantum science and technology than previously possible. Naturally, with their increasing use, the risk of accidental damage to optical detection systems rises commensurately. Thus, various optical limiting mechanisms and devices have been proposed. However, restricted by the weak optical nonlinearity of natural materials, state-of-the-art optical limiters rely on bulk liquid or solid media, operating in the transmission mode. Device miniaturization becomes complicated with these designs while maintaining superior integrability and controllability. Here, we demonstrate a reflection-mode pulse limiter (sub–100 nm) using nanoscale refractory films made of Al2O3/TiN/Al2O3 metallic quantum wells (MQWs), which provide large and ultrafast Kerr-type optical nonlinearities due to the quantum size effect of the MQW. Functional multilayers consisting of these MQWs could find important applications in nanophotonics, nonlinear optics, and meta-optics. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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