Nonlinear metal-dielectric nanoantennas for light switching and routing

We introduce a novel hybrid metal-dielectric nanoantenna composed of dielectric (crystalline silicon) and metal (silver) nanoparticles. A high-permittivity dielectric nanoparticle allows to achieve effective light harvesting, and nonlinearity of a metal nanoparticle controls the radiation direction. We show that the radiation pattern of such a nanoantenna can be switched between the forward and backward directions by varying only the light intensity around the level of 11 MW/cm$^2$, with the characteristic switching time of 260 fs.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, submitted to New J. Phy

Thermal Emission Control via Twist Tuning of Embedded Eigenstates

The field of thermal emission engineering shows great potential for various applications, such as lighting, energy harvesting, and imaging, using natural or artificial structures. However, existing structures face challenges in fabrication or do not provide the necessary degree of control over key parameters such as emission intensity, spectral composition, and angular distribution. To address these limitations, we propose a novel approach that leverages in-plane hyperbolic response, embedded eigenstates enabled by epsilon-near-zero, and exceptional tunability through twisting in {\alpha}-MoO3 heterostructures. By adjusting the twist angle, we can manipulate the system's properties, transforming it from a near-perfect reflector to a perfect absorber. This enables us to exert control over thermal emission power, spanning an order of magnitude. Furthermore, our research has uncovered a significant angular dependence of thermal emission, which varies with relative rotation