arXiv subjects

Adrià Canós Valero

Publications and source records attributed to Adrià Canós Valero.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Exceptional Points, Lasing, and Coherent Perfect Absorption in Floquet Scattering Systems

Periodically time-varying media, known as photonic time crystals (PTCs), provide a promising platform for observing unconventional wave phenomena. We analyze the scattering of electromagnetic waves from spatially finite PTCs using the multispectral Floquet scattering matrix, which naturally incorporates the frequency-mixing processes intrinsic to such systems. For dispersionless, real, and time-periodic permittivities, this matrix is pseudounitary. Here we demonstrate that this property leads to multiple symmetry-breaking transitions: for increasing driving strength, scattering matrix eigenvalues lying on the unit circle (unbroken symmetry regime) meet at exceptional points (EPs), where they break up into inverse complex conjugate pairs (broken symmetry regime). We identify the symmetry operator associated with these transitions and show that, in time-symmetric systems, it corresponds to the time-reversal operator. Remarkably, at the parametric resonance condition, one eigenvalue vanishes while its partner diverges, signifying simultaneous coherent perfect absorption (CPA) and lasing. Since our approach relies solely on the Floquet scattering matrix, it is not restricted to a specific geometry but instead applies to any periodically time-varying scattering system. To illustrate this universality, we apply our method to a variety of periodically time-modulated structures, including slabs, spheres, and metasurfaces. In particular, we show that using quasi-bound states in the continuum resonances sustained by a metasurface, the CPA and lasing conditions can be attained for a minimal modulation strength of the permittivity. Our results pave the way for engineering time-modulated photonic systems with tailored scattering properties, opening new avenues for dynamic control of light in next-generation optical devices.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Resonant states reveal strong light-matter coupling in nanophotonic cavities

Photonic resonances enable control over light-matter interactions, but many key phenomena only emerge in the strong-coupling regime where light and matter excitations fully hybridize. To distinguish between weak and strong coupling, one conventionally studies real-frequency spectra of the hybrid system. However, these spectra only provide indirect estimates of the underlying resonant dynamics, as the resonances reside at complex frequencies. To overcome this contradiction, we demonstrate that photonic resonant states provide a framework for unambiguously distinguishing between weak and strong coupling. Upon tracing the resonant states through the complex plane while changing the resonator geometry, their trajectories undergo a qualitative change at the onset of strong coupling. Instead of passing each other in the complex frequency plane with only perturbative interactions, the resonant states swap positions. Assuming a single dominant photonic resonance, we derive an effective Hamiltonian that captures the interaction with multiple material resonances, including direct access to coupling rates from overlap-integrals. Our analysis reveals that, unlike most coupled-oscillator models commonly employed, hybridization not only introduces off-diagonal coupling but also shifts the bare eigenfrequency of the photonic mode. We apply our approach to planar and spherical silver resonators filled with a molecular material whose properties were extracted from quantum-chemical simulations.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Extreme light confinement mediated by the transverse Kerker effect

Dielectric nanoparticles can be engineered to scatter light predominantly in the transverse direction, a phenomenon known as the transverse Kerker effect. Although complete cancelation of forward scattering from a single object is forbidden by the optical theorem, we show that a single photonic mode can nonetheless realize an ideal transverse Kerker effect. The mode remains dark under normal incidence but evolves into an accidental bound state in the continuum when the nanoparticles are arranged in metasurfaces. This enables a new route to polarization-independent quasi-bound states in the continuum whose quality factors are tunable without symmetry breaking. We experimentally demonstrate our concept in the visible, achieving the first polarization-independent bound state in the continuum without the need for Brillouin-zone folding. Furthermore, we show that our modes maintain large quality factors over a substantially broader region of momentum space than conventional bound states in the continuum. Our results establish a platform for realizing ultranarrow resonances free of the constraints for designs with standard bound states in the continuum.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Mie Voids as broadband directional light sources

The Kerker effect arises from the interference between electric and magnetic multipoles, enabling directional light scattering in nanophotonics. However, conventional dielectric and plasmonic nanoparticles can only act as Kerker sources in narrow spectral regions, limiting their applicability. Here, we show that the recently discovered Mie voids overcome this limitation by supporting a broadband generalized Kerker effect spanning the whole visible range. We investigate the optical response of Mie voids under both plane-wave and dipolar excitation. For plane waves, the voids preferentially scatter light in the forward direction. Under dipolar excitation, the resulting radiation emission towards the void and beyond is suppressed due to destructive interference between the dipole field with the directional scattered field of the void. These findings identify Mie voids as versatile broadband directional sources, opening pathways for antenna design and energy harvesting at the nanoscale.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

Resonant states of structured photonic time crystals

Photonic time crystals (PTCs) are spatially uniform media with periodic modulation in time, enabling momentum bandgaps and the parametric amplification of light. While their potential in optical systems is very promising, practical implementations require temporally modulating nanostructures of finite size, for which the physics is no longer governed by bulk properties but by resonant states, or quasinormal modes. Despite their importance, a quantitative theory describing the dynamics of these modes has been missing -- a gap we address here by developing a comprehensive resonant state theory for PTCs with arbitrary geometry. Our framework provides a detailed understanding of the resonant behavior of "structured" PTCs and uncovers several fundamental phenomena. For weak modulations, we find a universal quadratic dependence of the eigenfrequencies on the modulation amplitude. Moreover, each static resonant state gives rise to an infinite ladder of new eigenmodes, spaced by integer multiples of the modulation frequency. Crucially, we show that parametric amplification in these systems arises from a fundamentally resonant process, not captured by the momentum bandgap picture of "bulk" PTCs. We apply our theory to a realistic Bragg microcavity, demonstrating the design of tailored parametric resonances. Due to its generality and predictive power, our approach lays the foundation for the systematic study and engineering of structured PTCs, advancing the emerging field of space-time optics.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

Molecular Chiral Response Enhanced by Crosstalking Quasi-Bound States in the Continuum

Identifying the handedness of chiral molecules is of fundamental importance in chemistry, biology, pharmacy, and medicine. Nanophotonic structures allow us to control light at the nanoscale and offer powerful tools for chiral sensing, enabling the detection of small analyte volumes and low molecular concentrations by harnessing optical resonances. Most existing strategies rely on intuitive concepts such as strong local field enhancement or large local optical chirality, often achieved by engineering electric and magnetic Mie resonances in dielectric or plasmonic nanostructures. Recent insights, however, reveal that the chiroptical response of resonant systems is governed not only by local field effects, but also by less obvious mechanisms such as modal crosstalk. In this work, we present a dielectric metasurface engineered to amplify the modal crosstalk by supporting two nearly degenerate, high-quality-factor resonant states known as quasi-bound states in the continuum. Our theoretical and numerical analysis predicts a pronounced differential transmittance that exceeds the detection threshold of standard spectrometers. In particular, the differential transmittance reaches up to $10^{-2}$ for the Pasteur parameter $κ= 1\cdot10^{-4}$. These findings advance the capabilities of nanophotonic sensors for chiral detection, paving the way toward ultrasensitive identification of molecular handedness in increasingly smaller volumes and concentrations at the experimentally visible level.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2024

Attoliter Mie Void Sensing

Traditional nanophotonic sensing schemes utilize evanescent fields in dielectric or metallic nanoparticles, which confine far-field radiation in dispersive and lossy media. Apart from the lack of a well-defined sensing volume that can be accompanied by moderate sensitivities, these structures suffer from the generally limited access to the modal field, which is key for sensing performance. Recently, a novel strategy for dielectric nanophotonics has been demonstrated, namely, the resonant confinement of light in air. So-called Mie voids created in high-index dielectric host materials support localized resonant modes with exceptional properties. In particular, due to the confinement in air, these structures benefit from the full access to the modal field inside the void. We utilize these Mie voids for refractive index sensing in single voids with volumes down to 100 attoliters and sensitivities on the order of 400 nm per refractive index unit. Taking the signal-to-noise ratio of our measurements into account, we demonstrate detection of refractive index changes as small as 6.9 x 10-4 in a defined volume of just 850 attoliters. The combination of our Mie void sensor platform with appropriate surface functionalization will even enable specificity to biological or other analytes of interest, as the sensing volumes are on the order of cellular signaling chemicals of single vesicles in cellular synapses.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2024

Impact of coordinate frames on mode formation in twisted waveguides

Off-axis twisted waveguides possess unique optical properties such as circular and orbital angular momentum (OAM) birefringence, setting them apart from their straight counterparts. Analyzing mode formation in such helical waveguides relies on the use of specific coordinate frames that follow the twist of the structure, making the waveguide invariant along one of the new coordinates. In this study, the differences between modes forming in high-contrast off-axis twisted waveguides defined in the three most important coordinate systems - the Frenet-Serret, the helicoidal, or the Overfelt frame - are investigated through numerical simulations. We explore modal characteristics up to high twist rates (pitch: 50 $μ$m) and clarify a transformation allowing to map the modal fields and the effective index back to the laboratory frame. In case the waveguide is single-mode, the fundamental modes of the three types of waveguides show significant differences in terms of birefringence, propagation loss, and polarization. Conversely, the modal characteristics of the investigated waveguides are comparable in the multimode domain. Furthermore, our study examines the impact of twisting on spatial mode properties with the results suggesting a potential influence of the photonic spin Hall and orbital Hall effects. Additionally, modes of single-mode helical waveguides were found to exhibit superchiral fields on their surfaces. Implementation approaches such as 3D-nanoprinting or fiber-preform twisting open the doors to potential applications of such highly twisted waveguides, including chip-integrated devices for broadband spin- and OAM-preserving optical signal transport, as well as applications in chiral spectroscopy or nonlinear frequency conversion.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2024

Exceptional Bound States in the Continuum

Bound states in the continuum (BICs) and exceptional points (EPs) are unique singularities of non-Hermitian systems. BICs demonstrate enhancement of the electromagnetic field at the nanoscale, while EPs exhibit high sensitivity to small perturbations. Here, we demonstrate that several BICs can be merged into one EP, forming an EP-BIC. The resulting state inherits properties from both BICs and EP, namely, it does not radiate and shows extremely high sensitivity to perturbations. We validate the developed theory with numerical simulations and demonstrate the formation of second and third-order EP-BICs in stacked dielectric metasurfaces. We also show that the losses of the resulting leaky resonances exhibit an anomalous behavior when the unit cell is broken, which differs from the asymptotics commonly attributed to BICs.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2023

Quasi-Babinet principle in dielectric resonators and Mie voids

Advancing resonant nanophotonics requires novel building blocks. Recently, cavities in high-index dielectrics have been shown to resonantly confine light inside a lower-index region. These so-called Mie voids represent a counterpart to solid high-index dielectric Mie resonators, offering novel functionality such as resonant behavior in the ultraviolet spectral region. However, the well-known and highly useful Babinet's principle, which relates the scattering of solid and inverse structures, is not strictly applicable for this dielectric case as it is only valid for infinitesimally thin perfect electric conductors. Here, we show that Babinet's principle can be generalized to dielectric systems within certain boundaries, which we refer to as the quasi-Babinet principle and demonstrate for spherical and more generically shaped Mie resonators. Limitations arise due to geometry-dependent terms as well as material frequency dispersion and losses. Thus, our work not only offers deeper physical insight into the working mechanism of these systems but also establishes simple design rules for constructing dielectric resonators with complex functionalities from their complementary counterparts.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2023

Magnetoelectric Exceptional Points in Isolated All-Dielectric Nanoparticles

We consider the scattering of electromagnetic waves by non-spherical dielectric resonators and reveal that it can be linked to the exceptional points underpinned by the physics of non-Hermitian systems. We demonstrate how symmetry breaking in the shape of an isolated dielectric nanoparticle can be associated with the existence of an exceptional point in the eigenvalue spectrum and formulate the general conditions for the strong coupling of resonances, illustrating them for the example of the electric dipole and magnetic dipole modes supported by a silicon nanoparticle. We argue that any two modes of a dielectric nanoparticle can lead to an exceptional point provided their resonant frequencies cross as a function of a tuning parameter, such as, e.g. its aspect ratio, and their field distributions should have opposite signs after a reflection in the transverse plane of the structure. The coupled modes radiate as a mixture of electric and magnetic dipoles, which result in a strong magnetoelectric response, being easily controlled by the symmetry breaking perturbation. We also investigate the influence of a dielectric substrate, demonstrating how the latter provides an additional mechanism to tune the position of exceptional points in the parameter space. Finally, we discuss applications of magnetoelectric exceptional points for refractive index sensing.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2022

Special scattering regimes for conical all-dielectric nanoparticles

All-dielectric nanophotonics opens a venue for a variety of novel phenomena and scattering regimes driven by unique optical effects in semiconductor and dielectric nanoresonators. Their peculiar optical signatures enabled by simultaneous electric and magnetic responses in the visible range pave a way for a plenty of new applications in nano-optics, biology, sensing, etc. In this work, we investigate fabrication-friendly truncated cone resonators and achieve several important scattering regimes due to the inherent property of cones - broken symmetry along the main axis without involving complex geometries or structured beams. We show this symmetry breaking to deliver various kinds of Kerker effects (Generalized and Transverse Kerker effects), non-scattering hybrid anapole regime (simultaneous anapole conditions for all the multipoles in a particle leading to the nearly full scattering suppression) and, vice versa, superscattering regime. Being governed by the same straightforward geometrical paradigm, discussed effects could greatly simplify the manufacturing process of photonic devices with different functionalities. Moreover, the additional degrees of freedom driven by the conicity open new horizons to tailor light-matter interactions at the nanoscale.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2022

On the existence of pure, broadband toroidal sources in electrodynamics

Multipoles are paramount for describing electromagnetic fields in many areas of nanoscale optics, playing an essential role for the design of devices in plasmonics and all-dielectric nanophotonics. Challenging the traditional division into electric and magnetic moments, toroidal moments have been proposed as a physically distinct family of multipoles with significant contributions to the properties of matter. However, the apparent impossibility of separately measuring their response sheds doubt on their true physical significance. Here, we confirm the possibility of selectively exciting toroidal moments without any other multipole. We develop a set of general conditions that any current distribution must fulfill to be entirely described by toroidal moments, and prove our results in an analytically solvable case. Our new theory allows us to design and verify experimentally for the first time an artificial structure supporting a pure, broadband toroidal dipole response in the complete absence of the electric dipole and other 'ordinary' multipole contributions. In addition, we propose a structure capable of supporting a novel type of nonradiating source, a 'toroidal anapole', originating from the destructive interference of the toroidal dipole with the unconventional electromagnetic sources known as mean square radii. The results in this work provide conclusive evidence on the independent excitation of toroidal moments in electrodynamics.

physics.class-ph↗

arXiv2021

Transparent Hybrid Anapole metasurfaces with negligible electromagnetic coupling for phase engineering

All-dielectric nanophotonics has become one of the most active fields of research in modern optics, largely due to the opportunities offered by the simultaneous resonant control of electric and magnetic components of light at the nanoscale. In this rapidly evolving scenario, the possibility to design artificial Huygens sources by overlapping electric and magnetic resonances has established a new paradigm in flat optics, bringing devices closer to efficient wavefront shaping with a direct phase engineering at the level of the individual meta-atoms. However, their efficiency is fundamentally limited by the near field coupling between the constituents of the metalattice. In this work, we challenge this well-conceived notion and propose an alternative concept to achieve phase control and full transmission in metasurfaces, based on the unusual properties of the nonradiating sources known as Hybrid Anapoles (HAs). We analyze theoretically an array of such sources and demonstrate that HAs are characterized by a negligible coupling with their neighbors. Therefore, in contrast to Huygens particles, the proposed sources can operate as individual meta-atoms even in highly compact designs, becoming robust against strong disorder and preserving its characteristics when deposited on dielectric substrates. Remarkably, the phase of the transmitted wave can be modulated with negligible reflection. To illustrate the capabilities of our platform, we also utilize a disordered HA array to implement a controlled phase modulation to an ultrafast gaussian pulse. The results of our study represent a departure from the currently established designs and open an avenue towards the realization of new devices for flat optics with unprecedented efficiency.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2021

Superscattering Empowered by Bound States in the Continuum

We uncover a novel mechanism for superscattering of subwavelength resonators closely associated with the physics of bound states in the continuum. We demonstrate that superscattering occurs as a consequence of constructive interference driven by the Friedrich-Wintgen mechanism, and it may exceed the currently established limits for the cross-section of a single open scattering channel, within the channel itself. We develop a non-Hermitian model to describe interfering resonances of quasi-normal modes to show that this effect can only occur for scatterers violating the spherical symmetry, and therefore it cannot be predicted with the classical Mie solutions. Our results reveal unusual physics of non-Hermitian systems having important implications for functional metadevices.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2020

Theory, observation and ultrafast response of novel hybrid anapole states

Modern nanophotonics has witnessed the rise of "electric anapoles", destructive interferences of electric dipoles and toroidal electric dipoles, actively exploited to cancel electric dipole radiation from nanoresonators. However, the inherent duality of Maxwell's equations suggests the intriguing possibility of "magnetic anapoles", involving a nonradiating composition of a magnetic dipole and a magnetic toroidal dipole. Here, we predict, fabricate and observe experimentally via a series of dark field spectroscopy measurements a hybrid anapole of mixed electric and magnetic character, with all the dominant multipoles being suppressed by the toroidal terms in a nanocylinder. We delve into the physics of such exotic current configurations in the stationary and transient regimes and predict a number of ultrafast phenomena taking place within sub-ps times after the breakdown of the hybrid anapole. Based on the preceding theory, we design a non-Huygens metasurface featuring a dual functionality: perfect transparency in the stationary regime and controllable ultrashort pulse beatings in the transient.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2020

Nontrivial Pure Zero-Scattering Regime Delivered by a Hybrid Anapole State

The ability to manipulate electric and magnetic components of light at the nanoscale delivered by dielectric and semiconductor components is paving the way towards novel types of sources and nanoantennae with exceptional electromagnetic signatures, flexible and tunable metasurface architectures, enhanced light harvesting structures, etc. Recently, the anapoles states arising from the destructive interference of basic multipoles and their toroidal counterparts have been widely exploited to cancel radiation from an individual scattering channel of isolated nanoresonators, while displaying nontrivial near fields. As such, anapole states have been claimed to correspond to non-radiating sources. Nevertheless, these states are commonly found together with high order multipole moments featuring non-zero overall far-field. In this paper, we theoretically and experimentally demonstrate a fully non-scattering state governed by a novel 4-fold hybrid anapole with all the dominant multipoles suppressed by their corresponding toroidal (retarded) terms, i.e. a dark analogue of the superscattering effect. This invisibility state, however, allows for non-trivial near-field maps enabled by the unique interplay of the resonant Mie-like and Fabry-Perot modes as demonstrated by the quasi-normal modal expansion. Moreover, the hybrid anapole state is shown to be protected; the spectral position of the non-scattering point remains unperturbed in the presence of a substrate with significantly high refractive index. We experimentally verify our novel effect by means of dark field measurements of the scattering response of individual nanocylinders. The results are of high demand for efficient sensing and Raman scattering setups with enhanced signal-to-noise ratio, highly transmissive metasurfaces for phase manipulation, holograms, and a large span of linear and non-linear applications in dielectric nanophotonics.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2019

Nanovortex-driven all-dielectric optical diffusion boosting and sorting concept for lab-on-a-chip platforms

The ever-growing field of microfluidics requires precise and flexible control over fluid flow at the micro- and nanoscales. Current constraints demand a variety of controllable components for performing different operations inside closed microchambers and microreactors. In this context, novel nanophotonic approaches can significantly enhance existing capabilities and provide new functionalities via finely tuned light-matter interaction mechanisms. Here we propose a novel design, featuring a dual functionality on-chip: boosted optically-driven particle diffusion and nanoparticle sorting. Our methodology is based on a specially designed high-index dielectric nanoantenna, which strongly enhances spin-orbit angular momentum transfer from an incident laser beam to the scattered field. As a result, exceptionally compact, subwavelength optical nanovortices are formed and drive spiral motion of peculiar plasmonic nanoparticles via the efficient interplay between curled spin optical forces and radiation pressure. The nanovortex size is an order of magnitude smaller than that provided by conventional beam-based approaches. The nanoparticles mediate nano-confined fluid motion enabling nanomixing without a need of moving bulk elements inside a microchamber. Moreover, precise sorting of gold nanoparticles, demanded for on-chip separation and filtering, can be achieved by exploiting the non-trivial dependence of the curled optical forces on the nanoobject size. Altogether, this study introduces a versatile platform for further miniaturization of moving-part-free, optically driven microfluidic chips for fast chemical synthesis and analysis, preparation of emulsions, or generation of chemical gradients with light-controlled navigation of nanoparticles, viruses or biomolecules.

physics.optics↗