arXiv subjects

Ben Hopkins

Publications and source records attributed to Ben Hopkins.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2023

Experimental demonstration of a simple free-space loss model for diffuse reflections in guided-mode LiDAR

The growing use of photonic integrated circuits in light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors has made the speckle and phase distribution of the reflected light relevant for coupling into the guided modes of these systems. We adopt the use of a simplified diffuse surface model to show the average coupling efficiency of reflected speckle into guided modes can be predicted from the optical intensity at the target. For the first time, we provide experimental results to show that this relationship is valid for predicting free-space loss as a function of range. We intend to aid optics design for integrated photonic LiDAR systems, providing a simple and accurate model to predict the free-space loss from a representative target at all distances.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2017

Collective Resonances in Nanoparticle Oligomers

The study of nanostructured artificial media for optics has expanded rapidly over the last few decades, coupled with improvements of fabrication technology that have enabled investigation of previously unrealisable optical scattering systems. Such development is complemented by renewed impetus to understand the physics of optical scattering from complex subwavelength geometry and nanoparticle systems. Here I investigate specifically the optical properties of closely packed arrangements of nanoparticles, known as nanoparticle oligomers, which provide an intuitive platform for analytical and numerical study on the formation and interplay of collective resonances. I consider both plasmonic nanoparticles, and also high-refractive-index dielectric nanoparticles that support Mie-type electric and magnetic dipole resonances. Specific outcomes of this study are listed as follows. (i) A new model is presented for optical Fano resonances, which is based on interference between nonorthogonal eigenmodes of the associated scattering object. This is demonstrated to correctly describe Fano resonances in both plasmonic and high-refractive-index dielectric nanoparticle oligomers. (ii) Polarisation-independent scattering and absorption losses are shown to be enforced by n-fold discrete rotational symmetry, Cn (n \geq 3), and the reciprocal degeneracy of eigenmodes. (iii) A form of circular dichroism that emerges from interaction of nonorthogonal resonances is presented, and specifically impacts the ratio of radiative scattering loss to dissipative absorption loss experienced by reciprocal plane waves. The sequence of general theoretical conclusions (i)-(iii) serve to build the understanding of optical scattering from nanoparticle systems while removing existing ambiguities.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2017

All-Dielectric Nanophotonic Structures: Exploring the Magnetic Component of Light

We discuss nanophotonic structures composed of high-index dielectric nanoparticles and present several basic approaches for numerical study of their collective optical response. We also provide comparison on the collective optical properties of dielectric and plasmonic structures, and review experimental demonstrations of Fano resonances in all-dielectric nanoparticle oligomers.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2017

Optical chirality from dark-field illumination of planar plasmonic nanostructures

Dark-field illumination is shown to make planar chiral nanoparticle arrangements exhibit circular dichroism in extinction analogous to true chiral scatterers. Circular dichrosim is experimentally observed at the maximum scattering of single oligomers consisting rotationally symmetric arrangements of gold nanorods, with strong agreement to numerical simulation. A dipole model is developed to show that this effect is caused by a difference in the geometric projection of a nanorod onto the handed orientation of electric fields created by a circularly polarized dark-field that is normally incident on a glass substrate. Owing to this geometric origin, the wavelength of the peak chiral response is also experimentally shown to shift depending on the separation between nanoparticles. All presented oligomers have physical dimensions less than the operating wavelength, and the applicable extension to closely packed planar arrays of oligomers is demonstrated to amplify the magnitude of circular dichroism. The realization of strong chirality in these oligomers demonstrates a new path to engineer optical chirality from planar devices using dark-field illumination.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2017

Nonlinear anisotropic dielectric metasurfaces for ultrafast nanophotonics

We report on the broadband transient optical response from anisotropic nanobrick amorphous silicon particles, exhibiting Mie-type resonances. A quantitative model is developed to identify and disentangle the three physical processes that govern the ultrafast changes of the nanobrick optical properties, namely two-photon absorption, free-carrier relaxation, and lattice heating. We reveal a set of operating windows where ultrafast all-optical modulation of transmission is achieved with full return to zero in 20 ps. This is made possible due to the interplay between the competing nonlinear processes and despite the slow (nanosecond) internal lattice dynamics. The observed ultrafast switching behavior can be independently engineered for both or- thogonal polarizations using the large anisotropy of nanobricks thus allowing ultrafast anisotropy control. Our results categorically ascertain the potential of all-dielectric resonant nanophotonics as a platform for ultrafast optical devices, and reveal the pos- sibility for ultrafast polarization-multiplexed displays and polarization rotators.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2017

Active tuning of high-Q dielectric metasurfaces

We demonstrate the active tuning of all-dielectric metasurfaces exhibiting high-quality factor (high-Q) resonances. The active control is provided by embedding the asymmetric silicon meta-atoms with liquid crystals, which allows the relative index of refraction to be controlled through heating. It is found that high quality factor resonances ($Q=270\pm30$) can be tuned over more than three resonance widths. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using all-dielectric metasurfaces to construct tunable narrow-band filters.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

Interplay of magnetic responses in all-dielectric oligomers to realize magnetic Fano resonances

We study the interplay between collective and individual optically-induced magnetic responses in quadrumers made of identical dielectric nanoparticles. Unlike their plasmonic counterparts, all-dielectric nanoparticle clusters are shown to exhibit multiple dimensions of resonant magnetic responses that can be employed for the realization of anomalous scattering signatures. We focus our analysis on symmetric quadrumers made from silicon nanoparticles and verify our theoretical results in proof-of-concept radio frequency experiments demonstrating the existence of a novel type of magnetic Fano resonance in nanophotonics.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

Broadband highly-efficient dielectric metadevices for polarization control

Metadevices based on dielectric nanostructured surfaces with both electric and magnetic Mie-type resonances have resulted in the best efficiency to date for functional flat optics with only one disadvantage: a narrow operational bandwidth. Here we experimentally demonstrate broadband transparent all-dielectric metasurfaces for highly efficient polarization manipulation. We utilize the generalized Huygens principle, with a superposition of the scattering contributions from several electric and magnetic multipolar modes of the constituent meta-atoms, to achieve destructive interference in reflection over a large spectral bandwidth. By employing this novel concept, we demonstrate reflectionless (~90% transmission) half-wave plates, quarter-wave plates, and vector beam q-plates that can operate across multiple telecom bands with ~99% polarization conversion efficiency.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2015

Circular dichroism induced by Fano resonances in planar chiral oligomers

We present a general theory of circular dichroism in planar chiral nanostructures with rotational symmetry. It is demonstrated, analytically, that the handedness of the incident field's polarization can control whether a nanostructure induces either absorption or scattering losses, even when the total optical loss (extinction) is polarization-independent. We show that this effect is a consequence of modal interference so that strong circular dichroism in absorption and scattering can be engineered by combining Fano resonances with planar chiral nanoparticle clusters.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2015

Hybridization and the origin of the Fano resonances in symmetric nanoparticle trimers

We study the light scattering by plasmonic and dielectric symmetric trimers to investigate the existence of polarization-independent Fano resonances. Plasmonic hybridization theory is revealed to hide simple physics, and we instead provide a simplified model for hybridization to derive a plasmonic trimer's eigenmodes analytically. This approach is demonstrated to accurately recreate full wave simulations of plasmonic trimers and their Fano resonances. We are subsequently able to deduce the grounds for modal interference in plasmonic trimers and the related formation of Fano resonances. However, by taking advantage of the generality of our simplified hybridization approach, we are also able to investigate the eigenmodes of all-dielectric trimers. We show that bianisotropic coupling channels between high-index dielectric nanoparticles are able to increase the capacity for Fano resonances, even at normal incidence. We finally provide the first experimental measurements of sharp, polarization-independent Fano resonances from a symmetric all-dielectric trimer, with very good agreement to the predicted response from our simplified hybridization theory.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2013

Optically-isotropic responses induced by discrete rotational symmetry of nanoparticle clusters

Fostered by the recent progress of the fields of plasmonics and metamaterials, the seminal topic of light scattering by clusters of nanoparticles is attracting enormous renewed interest gaining more attention than ever before. Related studies have not only found various new applications in different branches of physics and chemistry, but also spread rapidly into other fields such as biology and medicine. Despite the significant achievements, there still exists unsolved but vitally important challenges of how to obtain robust polarisation-invariant responses of different types of scattering systems. In this paper, we demonstrate polarisation-independent responses of any scattering system with a rotational symmetry with respect to an axis parallel to the propagation direction of the incident wave. We demonstrate that the optical responses such as extinction, scattering, and absorption, can be made independent of the polarisation of the incident wave for all wavelengths. Such polarisation-independent responses are proven to be a robust and generic feature that is purely due to the rotational symmetry of the whole structure. We anticipate our finding will play a significant role in various applications involving light scattering such as sensing, nanoantennas, optical switches, and photovoltaic devices.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2013

Revisiting the physics of Fano resonances for nanoparticle oligomers

We present a new and robust approach for interpreting the physics of Fano resonances in planar oligomer structures of both metallic and dielectric nanoparticles. We reveal a key mechanism for Fano resonances by demonstrating that such resonances can be generated purely from the interference of nonorthogonal collective eigenmodes, which are clearly identified based on the coupled-dipole approximation. We prove analytically a general theorem to identify the number of collective eigenmodes that can be excited in ring-type nanoparticle oligomers and further demonstrate that no dark mode excitation is necessary for existence of Fano resonances in symmetric oligomers. As a consequence, we unify the understanding of Fano resonances for both plasmonic and all-dielectric oligomers.

physics.optics↗