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arXiv · 2604.12174

Tunable Polariton Canalization in Natural van der Waals Oxide

H. Shiravi·W. Zheng·D. A. Rhodes·L. Balicas·H. D. Zhou·G. X. Ni
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Abstract

Hyperbolic phonon polaritons (HPPs) are coupled oscillations of anisotropic lattice vibrations and electromagnetic fields that confine the latter to the nanoscale, enabling novel nano-polaritonic devices. While HPPs have been identified in multiple layered materials, achieving advanced control and manipulation - particularly polariton canalization for unidirectional energy flow - often necessitates complex device fabrications or crystal modifications. Here we visualize and elucidate the properties of in-plane hyperbolicity in alpha-V2O5, a layered compound with a highly anisotropic permittivity tensor. We show unidirectional Poynting-vector propagation of polaritons in alpha-V2O5 without additional treatments. Combined with theoretical modeling, our infrared nano-imaging studies unveil a novel form of polariton canalization, with its dispersion contour continuously tunable by the incident light frequency. Additionally, we provide a theoretically calculated permittivity phase diagram for tailoring polaritonic wavefronts. These findings suggest that the metal-oxide alpha-V2O5 holds great promise for on-demand light canalization and control at the nanoscale.

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H. Shiravi, W. Zheng, D. A. Rhodes, L. Balicas, H. D. Zhou, G. X. Ni. 2026-04-14. Tunable Polariton Canalization in Natural van der Waals Oxide. https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.12174

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