arXiv subjects

Baolai Liang

Publications and source records attributed to Baolai Liang.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Directional Thermal Emission Across Both Polarizations in Planar Photonic Architectures

Directional and spectral control of thermal emission is essential for applications in energy conversion, imaging, and sensing. Existing planar, lithography-free epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) films only support transverse-magnetic (TM) control of thermal emission via the Berreman mode and cannot address transverse-electric (TE) waves due to the absence of natural optical magnetism over optical and infrared wavelengths Here, we introduce a hyperbolic metamaterial comprising alternating layers of degenerately-doped and intrinsic InAs that exhibits an epsilon-and-mu-near-zero (EMNZ) response, enabling dual-polarized, directionally and spectrally selective thermal emission. We first theoretically demonstrate that a mu-near-zero (MNZ) film on a perfect magnetic conductor supports a magnetic Berreman mode, absorbing TE-polarized radiation in analogy to the conventional Berreman mode supported in TM polarization. Using genetic and gradient-descent optimization, we design a dual-polarized emitter with independently tunable spectral peaks and emission angles. Parameter retrieval via homogenization confirms simultaneous EMNZ points at the target wavelengths and angles. Finally, experimental measurement of a sample fabricated via molecular beam epitaxy exhibits high absorptivity peaks for both polarizations in close agreement with simulations. This work realizes lithography-free, dual-polarized, spectrally and directionally selective emitters, offering a versatile platform for advanced infrared thermal management and device integration.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Photophysics of O-band and transition metal color centers in monolithic silicon for quantum communications

Color centers in the O-band (1260-1360 nm) are critical for realizing long-coherence quantum network nodes in memory-assisted quantum communications. However, only a limited number of O-band color centers have been explored in silicon hosts as spin-photon interfaces. This study explores and compares two promising O-band defects in silicon: T centers and $^*$Cu (transition metal) color centers. During T center formation, we observed the formation and dissolution of various defects, including the copper-silver-related defect with a doublet line around 1312 nm ($^*$Cu$^{0}_{n}$), near the optical fiber zero dispersion wavelength. We then investigate the photophysics of both T and $^*$Cu centers, focusing on their emission spectra and spin properties to assess their potential for high-fidelity spin-photon interfaces. Additionally, we report a 25\% broadening of the $^*$Cu$^{0}_{0}$ line under a 0.5 T magnetic field, potentially linked to spin degeneracy, suggesting that this defect may provide a promising alternative to T centers for spin-photon interfaces.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Quantum projection ghost imaging

We establish a quantum theory of computational ghost imaging and propose quantum projection imaging where object information can be reconstructed by quantum statistical correlation between a certain photon number of bucket signal and DMD random patterns. The reconstructed image can be negative or positive depending on the chosen photon number. In particular, the vacuum state (zero-number) projection produces a negative image with better visibility and contrast-to-noise ratio. The experimental results of quantum projection imaging agree well with theoretical simulations and show that, under the same measurement condition, vacuum projection imaging is superior to conventional and fast first-photon ghost imaging in low-light illumination.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

A new artificial photosynthetic system coupling photovoltaic electrocatalysis with photothermal catalysis

In this work, we present a novel artificial photosynthetic paradigm with square meter (m2) level scalable production by integrating photovoltaic electrolytic water splitting device and solar heating CO2 hydrogenation device, successfully achieving the synergy of 1 sun driven 19.4% solar to chemical energy efficiency (STC) for CO production (2.7 times higher than state of the art of large-sized artificial photosynthetic systems) with a low cost (equivalent to 1/7 of reported artificial photosynthetic systems). Furthermore, the outdoor artificial photosynthetic demonstration with 1.268 m2 of scale exhibits the CO generation amount of 258.4 L per day, the STC of ~15.5% for CO production in winter, which could recover the cost within 833 suuny days of operation by selling CO.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2013

Strongly coupled slow-light polaritons in one-dimensional disordered localized states

Cavity quantum electrodynamics advances the coherent control of a single quantum emitter with a quantized radiation field mode, typically piecewise engineered for the highest finesse and confinement in the cavity field. This enables the possibility of strong coupling for chip-scale quantum processing, but till now is limited to few research groups that can achieve the precision and deterministic requirements for these polariton states. Here we observe for the first time coherent polariton states of strong coupled single quantum dot excitons in inherently disordered one-dimensional localized modes in slow-light photonic crystals. Large vacuum Rabi splittings up to 311 μeV are observed, one of the largest avoided crossings in the solid-state. Our tight-binding models with quantum impurities detail these strong localized polaritons, spanning different disorder strengths, complementary to model-extracted pure dephasing and incoherent pumping rates. Such disorder-induced slow-light polaritons provide a platform towards coherent control, collective interactions, and quantum information processing.

physics.optics↗