arXiv subjects

Alexander B. Khanikaev

Publications and source records attributed to Alexander B. Khanikaev.

35 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2017

Spin and valley polarized one-way Klein tunneling in photonic topological insulators

Advances of condensed matter physics in exploiting the spin degree of freedom of electrons led to the emergence of the field of spintronics, which envisions new and more efficient approaches to data transfer, computing, and storage [1-3]. These ideas have been inspiring analogous approaches in photonics, where the manipulation of an artificially engineered pseudo-spin degrees of freedom is enabled by synthetic gauge fields acting on light [4,5,6]. The ability to control these additional degrees of freedom can significantly expand the landscape of available optical responses, which may revolutionize optical computing and the basic means of controlling light in photonic devices across the entire electromagnetic spectrum. Here we demonstrate a new class of photonic systems, described by effective Hamiltonians in which competing synthetic gauge fields engineered in pseudo-spin, chirality/sublattice and valley subspaces result in band gap opening at one of the valleys, while the other valley exhibits Dirac-like conical dispersion. It is shown that such effective response has dramatic implications on photon transport, among which: (i) spin-polarized and valley-polarized one-way Klein tunneling and (ii) topological edge states that coexist within the Dirac continuum for opposite valley and spin polarizations. These phenomena offer new ways to control light in photonics, in particular for on-chip optical isolation, filtering and wave-division multiplexing by selective action on their pseudo-spin and valley degrees of freedom.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2017

Controlling scattering of light through topological transitions in all-dielectric metasurfaces

Topological phase transitions in condensed matter systems have shown extremely rich physics, unveiling such exotic states of matter as topological insulators, superconductors and superfluids. Photonic topological systems open a whole new realm of research exhibiting a number of important distinctions from their condensed matter counterparts. Photonic modes can couple to the continuum of free space modes which makes it feasible to control and manipulate scattering properties of the photonic structure via topology. At the same time, the direct connection of scattering and topological properties of the photonic states allows their probing by spectroscopic means via Fano resonances. Here we demonstrate that the radiative coupling of modes supported by an all-dielectric metasurface can be controlled and tuned under topological phase transitions due to band inversion, correspondingly inducing a distinct switching of the quality factors of the resonances associated with the bands. In addition, we develop a technique to retrieve the topological properties of all-dielectric metasurfaces from the measured far-field scattering characteristics. The collected angle-resolved transmission and reflection spectra allow extracting the momentum-dependent frequencies and lifetimes of the photonic modes. This enables retrieval of the effective photonic Hamiltonian, including the effects of a synthetic gauge field, and topological invariants~-- pseudo-spin Chern numbers. Our results thus open a new avenue to design a new class of metasurfaces with unique scattering characteristics controlled via topological effects. This work also demonstrates how topological states of open systems can be explored via far-field measurements.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2016

Multipolar third-harmonic generation driven by optically-induced magnetic resonances

We analyze third-harmonic generation from high-index dielectric nanoparticles and discuss the basic features and multipolar nature of the parametrically generated electromagnetic fields near the Mie-type optical resonances. By combining both analytical and numerical methods, we study the nonlinear scattering from simple nanoparticle geometries such as spheres and disks in the vicinity of the magnetic dipole resonance. We reveal the approaches for manipulating and directing the resonantly enhanced nonlinear emission with subwavelength all-dielectric structures that can be of a particular interest for novel designs of nonlinear optical antennas and engineering the magnetic optical nonlinear response at nanoscale.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

Three-Dimensional All-Dielectric Photonic Topological Insulator

The discovery of two-dimensional topological photonic systems has transformed our views on electromagnetic propagation and scattering of classical waves, and a quest for similar states in three dimensions, known to exist in condensed matter systems, has been put forward. Here we demonstrate that symmetry protected three-dimensional topological states can be engineered in an all-dielectric platform with the electromagnetic duality between electric and magnetic fields ensured by the structure design. Magneto-electric coupling playing the role of a synthetic gauge field leads to a topological transition to an insulating regime with a complete three-dimensional photonic bandgap. An emergence of surface states with conical Dirac dispersion and spin-locking is unimpeded. Robust propagation of surface states along two-dimensional domain walls defined by the reversal of magneto-electric coupling is confirmed numerically by first principle studies. It is shown that the proposed system represents a table-top platform for emulating relativistic physics of massive Dirac fermions and the surface states revealed can be interpreted as Jackiw-Rebbi states confined to the interface between two domains with opposite particle masses.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2015

Self-induced topological transitions and edge states supported by nonlinear staggered potentials

The canonical Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (SSH) model is one of the basic geometries that have spurred significant interest in topologically nontrivial bandgap modes with robust properties. Here, we show that the inclusion of suitable third-order Kerr nonlinearities in SSH arrays opens rich new physics in topological insulators, including the possibility of supporting self-induced topological transitions based on the applied intensity. We highlight the emergence of a new class of topological solutions in nonlinear SSH arrays, localized at the array edges. As opposed to their linear counterparts, these nonlinear states decay to a plateau with non-zero amplitude inside the array, highlighting the local nature of topologically nontrivial bandgaps in nonlinear systems. We derive the conditions under which these unusual responses can be achieved, and their dynamics as a function of applied intensity. Our work paves the way to new directions in the physics of topologically non-trivial edge states with robust propagation properties based on nonlinear interactions in suitably designed periodic arrays.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

Tunable nonlinear graphene metasurfaces

We introduce the concept of nonlinear graphene metasurfaces employing the controllable interaction between a graphene layer and a planar metamaterial. Such hybrid metasurfaces support two types of subradiant resonant modes, asymmetric modes of structured metamaterial elements ("metamolecules") and graphene plasmons exhibiting strong mutual coupling and avoided dispersion crossing. High tunability of graphene plasmons facilitates strong interaction between the subradiant modes, modifying the spectral position and lifetime of the associated Fano resonances. We demonstrate that strong resonant interaction, combined with the subwavelength localization of plasmons, leads to the enhanced nonlinear response and high efficiency of the second-harmonic generation.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2015

Trapping and guiding surface plasmons in curved graphene landscapes

We demonstrate that graphene placed on top of structured substrates offers a novel approach for trapping and guiding surface plasmons. A monolayer graphene with a spatially varying curvature exhibits an effective trapping potential for graphene plasmons near curved areas such as bumps, humps and wells. We derive the governing equation for describing such localized channel plasmons guided by curved graphene and validate our theory by the first-principle numerical simulations. The proposed confinement mechanism enables plasmon guiding by the regions of maximal curvature, and it offers a versatile platform for manipulating light in planar landscapes. In addition, isolated deformations of graphene such as bumps are shown to support localized surface modes and resonances suggesting a new way to engineer plasmonic metasurfaces.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2015

Observation of topological edge modes in bianisotropic metamaterials

Existence of robust edge modes at interfaces of topologically dissimilar systems is one of the most fascinating manifestations of a novel nontrivial state of matter, topological insulators. Such electronic states were originally predicted and discovered in condensed matter physics, but they find their counterparts in other fields of physics, including the physics of classical waves and electromagnetics. Here, we present the first experimental realization of a topological insulator for electromagnetic waves based on engineered bianisotropic metamaterials. By employing the near-field scanning technique, we demonstrate experimentally the topologically robust propagation of electromagnetic waves around sharp corners without back reflection.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

Topologically protected elastic waves in phononic metamaterials

Topological states of quantum matter exhibit unique disorder-immune surface states protected by underlying nontrivial topological invariants of the bulk. Such immunity from backscattering makes topological surface or edge states ideal carriers for both classical and quantum information. So far, topological matters have been explored only in the realms of electronics and photonics, with limited range of bulk properties and largely immutable materials. These constraints thus impose severe performance trade-offs in experimentally realizable topologically ordered states. In contrast, phononic metamaterials not only provide access to a much wider range of material properties, but also allow temporal modulation in the non-adiabatic regime. Here, from the first-principles we demonstrate numerically the first phononic topological metamaterial in an elastic-wave analogue of the quantum spin Hall effect. A dual-scale phononic crystal slab is used to support two effective spins of phonon over a broad bandwidth, and strong spin-orbit coupling is realized by breaking spatial mirror symmetry. By preserving the spin polarization with an external load or spatial symmetry, phononic edge states are shown to be robust against scattering from discrete defects as well as disorders in the continuum. Our system opens up the possibility of realizing topological materials for phonons in both static and time-dependent regimes.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

Nonreciprocity and One-Way Topological Transitions in Hyperbolic Metamaterials

Control of the electromagnetic waves in nano-scale structured materials is central to the development of next generation photonic circuits and devices. In this context, hyperbolic metamaterials, where elliptical isofrequency surfaces are morphed into surfaces with exotic hyperbolic topologies when the structure parameters are tuned, have shown unprecedented control over light propagation and interaction. Here we show that such topological transitions can be even more unusual when the hyperbolic metamaterial is endowed with nonreciprocity. Judicious design of metamaterials with reduced spatial symmetries, together with the removal of time-reversal symmetry through magnetization, is shown to result in nonreciprocal dispersion and one-way topological phase transitions in hyperbolic metamaterials.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2014

Gyromagnetically Induced Transparency of Meta-Surfaces

We demonstrate that the violation of the time-reversal (TR) symmetry in the presence of a gyromagnetic substrate can produce an analog of electromagnetically induced transparency in metallic meta-molecules. The simplest implementation of such gyromagnetically induced transparency (GIT) in a meta-surface comprised of an array of resonant antenna pairs placed on a gyromagnetic substrate and illuminated by a normally incident electromagnetic wave is analyzed. TR symmetry breaking introduced by the magnetic field makes meta-molecules bi-anisotropic and causes spectrally-sharp Fano interference between the otherwise uncoupled electric and magnetic dipolar resonances of the meta-molecules. The applied magnetic field results in a sharp transmission peak through the otherwise reflective meta-surface. We show that, for oblique wave incidence, one-way GIT can be achieved by the combination of spatial dispersion and TR symmetry breaking. These theoretically predicted phenomena pave the way to non-reciprocal switches and isolators that can be dynamically controlled by electric currents.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2014

Strong Modulation of Infrared Light using Graphene Integration with Plasmonic Fano-Resonant Metasurfaces

Plasmonic metasurfaces represent a promising platform for enhancing light-matter interaction. Active control of the optical response of metasurfaces is desirable for applications such as beam-steering, modulators and switches, biochemical sensors, and compact optoelectronic devices. Here we use a plasmonic metasurface with two Fano resonances to enhance the interaction of infrared light with electrically controllable single layer graphene. It is experimentally shown that the narrow spectral width of these resonances, combined with strong light/graphene coupling, enables reflectivity modulation by nearly an order of magnitude leading to a modulation depth as large as 90%. . Numerical simulations demonstrate the possibility of strong active modulation of the phase of the reflected light while keeping the reflectivity nearly constant, thereby paving the way to tunable infrared lensing and beam steering

physics.optics↗

arXiv2014

Topologically protected photonic transport in bi-anisotropic meta-waveguides

We propose a design of two-dimensional bi-anisotropic meta-waveguide exhibiting topologically nontrivial photonic phase and robust photonic transport. The structure proposed represents a waveguide formed by a periodic array of metallic cylinders placed inside parallel metal plates and is designed to support two pairs of Dirac cones thus allowing emulation of the spin of the electrons in condensed matter systems. It is shown, that by making the meta-waveguide bi-anisotropic one can mimic the spin-orbital interaction in topological insulators and open a complete photonic topological band gap. First-principle numerical simulations demonstrate that the domain walls between two meta-waveguides with reversed bi-anisotropy support photonic edge states robust against certain classes of structural imperfections, including sharp bends and disorder.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2012

Photonic Analogue of Two-dimensional Topological Insulators and Helical One-Way Edge Transport in Bi-Anisotropic Metamaterials

Recent progress in understanding the topological properties of condensed matter has led to the discovery of time-reversal invariant topological insulators. Because of limitations imposed by nature, topologically non-trivial electronic order seems to be uncommon except in small-band-gap semiconductors with strong spin-orbit interactions. In this Article we show that artificial electromagnetic structures, known as metamaterials, provide an attractive platform for designing photonic analogues of topological insulators. We demonstrate that a judicious choice of the metamaterial parameters can create photonic phases that support a pair of helical edge states, and that these edge states enable one-way photonic transport that is robust against disorder.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2012

Optical properties of Fano-resonant metallic metasurfaces on a substrate

Three different periodic optical metasurfaces exhibiting Fano resonances are studied in mid-IR frequency range in the presence of a substrate. We develop a rigorous semi-analytical technique and calculate how the presence of a substrate affects optical properties of these structures. An analytical minimal model based on the truncated exact technique is introduced and is shown to provide a simple description of the observed behavior. We demonstrate that the presence of a substrate substantially alters the collective response of the structures suppressing Wood's anomalies and spatial dispersion of the resonances. Different types of Fano resonances are found to be affected differently by the optical contrast between the substrate and the superstrate. The dependence of the spectral position of the resonances on the substrate/superstrate permittivities is studied and the validity of the widely used effective medium approaches is re-examined.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2010

Broadband Slow Light Metamaterial Based on a Double-Continuum Fano Resonance

We propose a concept of a low-symmetry three-dimensional metamaterial exhibiting a Double- Continuum Fano (DCF) optical resonance. Such metamaterial is described as a birefringent medium supporting a discrete "dark" electromagnetic state weakly coupled to the continua of two nondegen- erate "bright" bands of orthogonal polarizations. It is demonstrated that light propagation through such DCF metamaterial can be slowed down over a broad frequency range when the medium param- eters (e.g. frequency of the "dark" mode) are adiabatically changed along the optical path. Using a specific metamaterial implementation, we demonstrate that the DCF approach to slow light (SL) is superior to that of the EIT because it enables spectrally uniform group velocity and transmission coefficient.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2010

Highly Confined Hybrid Spoof Surface Plasmons in Ultra-thin Metal/Dielectric Heterostructures

Highly confined "spoof" surface plasmon-like (SSP) modes are theoretically predicted to exist in a perforated metal film coated with a thin dielectric layer. Strong modes confinement results from the additional waveguiding by the layer. Spectral characteristics, field distribution, and lifetime of these SSPs are tunable by the holes' size and shape. SSPs exist both above and below the light line, offering two classes of applications: "perfect" far-field absorption and to efficient emission into guided modes. It is experimentally shown that these plasmon-like modes can turn thin, weakly-absorbing semiconductor films into perfect absorbers.

physics.optics↗