347 research outputs found
Spontaneous and Stimulated Raman Scattering near Metal Nanostructures in the Ultrafast, High-Intensity regime
The inclusion of atomic inversion in Raman scattering can significantly alter
field dynamics in plasmonic settings. Our calculations show that large local
fields and femtosecond pulses combine to yield: (i) population inversion within
hot spots; (ii) gain saturation; and (iii) conversion efficiencies
characterized by a switch-like transition to the stimulated regime that spans
twelve orders of magnitude. While in Raman scattering atomic inversion is
usually neglected, we demonstrate that in some circumstances full accounting of
the dynamics of the Bloch vector is required
Second harmonic double resonance cones in dispersive hyperbolic metamaterials
We study the formation of second harmonic double-resonance cones in
hyperbolic metamaterials. An electric dipole on the surface of the structure
induces second harmonic light to propagate into two distinct volume
plasmon-polariton channels: A signal that propagates within its own peculiar
resonance cone; and a phase-locked signal that is trapped under the pump's
resonance cone. Metamaterial dispersion and birefringence induce a large
angular divergence between the two volume plasmon-polaritons, making these
structures ideal for subwavelength second and higher harmonic imaging
microscopy
Resonant, broadband and highly efficient optical frequency conversion in semiconductor nanowire gratings at visible and UV wavelengths
Using a hydrodynamic approach we examine bulk- and surface-induced second and
third harmonic generation from semiconductor nanowire gratings having a
resonant nonlinearity in the absorption region. We demonstrate resonant,
broadband and highly efficient optical frequency conversion: contrary to
conventional wisdom, we show that harmonic generation can take full advantage
of resonant nonlinearities in a spectral range where nonlinear optical
coefficients are boosted well beyond what is achievable in the transparent,
long-wavelength, non-resonant regime. Using femtosecond pulses with
approximately 500 MW/cm2 peak power density, we predict third harmonic
conversion efficiencies of approximately 1% in a silicon nanowire array, at
nearly any desired UV or visible wavelength, including the range of negative
dielectric constant. We also predict surface second harmonic conversion
efficiencies of order 0.01%, depending on the electronic effective mass,
bistable behavior of the signals as a result of a reshaped resonance, and the
onset fifth order nonlinear effects. These remarkable findings, arising from
the combined effects of nonlinear resonance dispersion, field localization, and
phase-locking, could significantly extend the operational spectral bandwidth of
silicon photonics, and strongly suggest that neither linear absorption nor skin
depth should be motivating factors to exclude either semiconductors or metals
from the list of useful or practical nonlinear materials in any spectral range.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figure
A Dynamical Model of Harmonic Generation in Centrosymmetric Semiconductors
We study second and third harmonic generation in centrosymmetric
semiconductors at visible and UV wavelengths in bulk and cavity environments.
Second harmonic generation is due to a combination of symmetry breaking, the
magnetic portion of the Lorentz force, and quadrupolar contributions that
impart peculiar features to the angular dependence of the generated signals, in
analogy to what occurs in metals. The material is assumed to have a non-zero,
third order nonlinearity that gives rise to most of the third harmonic signal.
Using the parameters of bulk Silicon we predict that cavity environments can
significantly modify second harmonic generation (390nm) with dramatic
improvements for third harmonic generation (266nm). This occurs despite the
fact that the harmonics may be tuned to a wavelength range where the dielectric
function of the material is negative: a phase locking mechanism binds the pump
to the generated signals and inhibits their absorption. These results point the
way to novel uses and flexibility of materials like Silicon as nonlinear media
in the visible and UV ranges
Harmonic Generation in Metallic, GaAs-Filled Nanocavities in the Enhanced Transmission Regime at Visible and UV Wavelengths
We have conducted a theoretical study of harmonic generation from a silver
grating having slits filled with GaAs. By working in the enhanced transmission
regime, and by exploiting phase-locking between the pump and its harmonics, we
guarantee strong field localization and enhanced harmonic generation under
conditions of high absorption at visible and UV wavelengths. Silver is treated
using the hydrodynamic model, which includes Coulomb and Lorentz forces,
convection, electron gas pressure, plus bulk X(3) contributions. For GaAs we
use nonlinear Lorentz oscillators, with characteristic X(2) and X(3) and
nonlinear sources that arise from symmetry breaking and Lorentz forces. We find
that: (i) electron pressure in the metal contributes to linear and nonlinear
processes by shifting/reshaping the band structure; (ii) TEand TM-polarized
harmonics can be generated efficiently; (iii) the X(2) tensor of GaAs couples
TE- and TM-polarized harmonics that create phase-locked pump photons having
polarization orthogonal compared to incident pump photons; (iv) Fabry-Perot
resonances yield more efficient harmonic generation compared to plasmonic
transmission peaks, where most of the light propagates along external metal
surfaces with little penetration inside its volume. We predict conversion
efficiencies that range from 10-6 for second harmonic generation to 10-3 for
the third harmonic signal, when pump power is 2GW/cm2
Graphene-based perfect optical absorbers harnessing guided mode resonances
We numerically and experimentally investigate graphene-based optical
absorbers that exploit guided mode resonances (GMRs) achieving perfect
absorption over a bandwidth of few nanometers (over the visible and
near-infrared ranges) with a 40-fold increase of the monolayer graphene
absorption. We analyze the influence of the geometrical parameters on the
absorption rate and the angular response for oblique incidence. Finally, we
experimentally verify the theoretical predictions in a one-dimensional,
dielectric grating and placing it near either a metallic or a dielectric
mirror
Graphene-based absorber exploiting guided mode resonances in one-dimensional gratings
A one-dimensional dielectric grating, based on a simple geometry, is proposed
and investigated to enhance light absorption in a monolayer graphene exploiting
guided mode resonances. Numerical findings reveal that the optimized
configuration is able to absorb up to 60% of the impinging light at normal
incidence for both TE and TM polarizations resulting in a theoretical
enhancement factor of about 26 with respect to the monolayer graphene
absorption (about 2.3%). Experimental results confirm this behaviour showing
CVD graphene absorbance peaks up to about 40% over narrow bands of few
nanometers. The simple and flexible design paves the way for the realization of
innovative, scalable and easy-to-fabricate graphene-based optical absorbers
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