arXiv subjects

Hongsheng Chen

Publications and source records attributed to Hongsheng Chen.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

arXiv2018

Multifrequency superscattering from subwavelength hyperbolic structures

Superscattering, i.e., a phenomenon of the scattering cross section from a subwavelength object exceeding the single-channel limit, has important prospects in enhanced sensing/spectroscopy, solar cells, and biomedical imaging. Superscattering can be typically constructed only at a single frequency regime, and depends critically on the inescapable material losses. Under such realistic conditions, superscattering has not been predicted nor observed to exist simultaneously at multiple frequency regimes. Here we introduce multifrequency superscattering in a subwavelength hyperbolic structure, which can be made from artificial metamaterials or from naturally-existing materials, such as hexagonal boron nitride (BN), and show the advantage of such hyperbolic materials for reducing structural complexity. The underlying mechanism is revealed to be the multimode resonances at multiple frequency regimes as appear in BN due to the peculiar dispersion of phonon-polaritons. Importantly, the multifrequency superscattering has a high tolerance to material losses and some structural variations, bringing the concept of multifrequency superscattering closer to useful and realistic conditions.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2017

Experimental discovery of nodal chains

Three-dimensional (3D) topological nodal points, such as Weyl and Dirac nodes have attracted wide-spread interest across multiple disciplines and diverse material systems. Unlike nodal points that contain little structural variations, nodal lines can have numerous topological configurations in the momentum space, forming nodal rings, nodal chains and potentially nodal links and nodal knots. However, nodal lines have much less development for the lack of ideal material platforms. In condensed matter for example, nodal lines are often fragile to spin-orbit-coupling, locating off the Fermi level, coexisting with energy-degenerate trivial bands and dispersing strongly in energy of the line degeneracy. Here, overcoming all above difficulties, we theoretically predict and experimentally observe nodal chains in a metallic-mesh photonic crystal having frequency-isolated linear bandtouching rings chained across the entire Brillouin zone (BZ). These nodal chains are protected by mirror symmetries and have a frequency variation less than 1%. We used angle-resolved transmission (ART) to probe the projected bulk dispersions and performed Fourier-transformed field scan (FTFS) to map out the surface dispersions, which is a quadratic touching between two drumhead surface bands. Our results established an ideal nodal-line material for further studies of topological line-degeneracies with nontrivial connectivities, as well as the consequent wave dynamics richer than 2D Dirac and 3D Weyl materials.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2017

All-angle negative refraction of highly squeezed plasmon and phonon polaritons in graphene-boron nitride heterostructures

A fundamental building block for nanophotonics is the ability to achieve negative refraction of polaritons, because this could enable the demonstration of many unique nanoscale applications such as deep-subwavelength imaging, superlens, and novel guiding. However, to achieve negative refraction of highly squeezed polaritons, such as plasmon polaritons in graphene and phonon polaritons in boron nitride (BN) with their wavelengths squeezed by a factor over 100, requires the ability to flip the sign of their group velocity at will, which is challenging. Here we reveal that the strong coupling between plasmon and phonon polaritons in graphene-BN heterostructures can be used to flip the sign of the group velocity of the resulting hybrid (plasmon-phonon-polariton) modes. We predict all-angle negative refraction between plasmon and phonon polaritons, and even more surprisingly, between hybrid graphene plasmons, and between hybrid phonon polaritons. Graphene-BN heterostructures thus provide a versatile platform for the design of nano-metasurfaces and nano-imaging elements.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

Bistable scattering in graphene-coated dielectric nanowires

In nonlinear plasmonics, the switching threshold of optical bistability is limited by the weak nonlinear responses from the conventional Kerr dielectric media. Considering the giant nonlinear susceptibility of graphene, here we develop a nonlinear scattering model under the mean field approximation and study the bistable scattering in graphene-coated dielectric nanowires based on the semi-analytical solutions. We find that the switching intensities of bistable scattering can be smaller than 1MW/cm2 at the working frequency. To further decrease the switching intensities, we show that the most important factor that restricts the bistable scattering is the relaxation time of graphene, rather than the chemical potential and the permittivity of the dielectric nanowire. Our work not only reveals some general characteristics of graphene-based bistable scattering, but also provides a guidance to further applications of optical bistability in the high speed all-optical signal processing.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

Hybrid Airy Plasmons with Dynamically Steerable Trajectories

With the intriguing properties of diffraction-free, self-accelerating, and self-healing, Airy plasmons are promising to be used in the trapping, transporting, and sorting of micro-objects, imaging, and chip scale signal processing. However, the high dissipative loss and the lack of dynamical steerability restrict the implementation of Airy plasmons in these applications. Here we reveal the hybrid Airy plasmons for the first time by taking a hybrid graphene-based plasmonic waveguide in the terahertz (THz) domain as an example. Due to the coupling between an optical mode and a plasmonic mode, the hybrid Airy plasmons can have large propagation lengths and effective transverse deflections, where the transverse waveguide confinements are governed by the hybrid modes with moderate quality factors. Meanwhile, the propagation trajectories of hybrid Airy plasmons are dynamically steerable by changing the chemical potential of graphene. These hybrid Airy plasmons may promote the further discovery of non-diffracting beams with the emerging developments of optical tweezers and tractor beams.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

Graphene induced mode bifurcation at low input power

We study analytically the plasmonic modes in the graphene-coated dielectric nanowire, based on the explicit form of nonlinear surface conductivity of graphene. The propagation constants of different plasmonic modes can be tuned by the input power at the order of a few tenths of mW. The lower and upper mode bifurcation branches are connected at the limitation value of the input power. Moreover, due to the nonlinearity of graphene, the dispersion curves of plasmonic modes at different input powers form an energy band, which is in sharp contrast with the single dispersion curve in the limit of zero input power.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

Tailoring the energy distribution and loss of 2D plasmons

The ability to tailor the energy distribution of plasmons at the nanoscale has many applications in nanophotonics, such as designing plasmon lasers, spasers, and quantum emitters. To this end, we analytically study the energy distribution and the proper field quantization of 2D plasmons with specific examples for graphene plasmons. We find that the portion of the plasmon energy contained inside graphene (energy confinement factor) can exceed 50%, despite graphene being infinitely thin. In fact, this very high energy confinement can make it challenging to tailor the energy distribution of graphene plasmons just by modifying the surrounding dielectric environment or the geometry, such as changing the separation distance between two coupled graphene layers. However, by adopting concepts of parity-time symmetry breaking, we show that tuning the loss in one of the two coupled graphene layers can simultaneously tailor the energy confinement factor and propagation characteristics, causing the phenomenon of loss-induced plasmonic transparency.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

Airy plasmons in graphene based waveguides

In this paper, we propose that both the quasi-transverse-magnetic (TM) and quasi-transverseelectric (TE) Airy plasmons can be supported in graphene-based waveguides. The solution of Airy plasmons is calculated analytically and the existence of Airy plasmons is studied under the paraxial approximation. Due to the tunability of the chemical potential of graphene, the self-accelerating behavior of quasi-TM Airy plasmons can be steered effectively, especially in multilayer graphene based waveguides. Besides the metals, graphene provides an additional platform to investigate the propagation of Airy plasmons and to design various plasmonic devices.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

Ultrathin metasurface with topological transition for manipulating spoof surface plasmon polaritons

Metasurfaces, with intrinsically planar nature and subwavelength thickness, provide us unconventional methodologies to not only mold the flow of propagating waves but also manipulate near-field waves. Plasmonic metasurfaces with topological transition for controlling surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) recently have been experimentally demonstrated, which, however, are limited to optical frequencies. In this work, we proposed and experimentally characterized an ultrathin metasurface with the topological transition for manipulating spoof SPPs at low frequency. We demonstrated rich interesting phenomena based on this metasurface, including frequency-dependent spatial localization, non-diffraction propagation, negative refraction, and dispersion-dependent spin-momentum locking of spoof SPPs. Comparing with traditional three-dimensional metamaterials, our metasurface exhibits low propagation loss and compatibility with the photonic integrated circuit, which may find plenty of applications in spatial multiplexers, focusing and imaging devices, planar hyperlens, and dispersion-dependent directional couplers, in microwave and terahertz frequencies.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

Dynamical Mechanism of Two-Dimensional Plasmon Launching by Swift Electrons

Launching of surface plasmons by swift electrons has long been utilized in electron-energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) to investigate plasmonic properties of ultrathin, or two-dimensional (2D), electron systems. However, its spatio-temporal process has never been revealed. This is because the impact of an electron will generate not only plasmons, but also photons, whose emission cannot be achieved at a single space-time point, as fundamentally determined from the uncertainty principle. Here, we propose that such a space-time limitation also applies to surface plasmon generation in EELS experiment. On the platform of graphene, we demonstrate within the framework of classical electrodynamics that the launching of 2D plasmons by an electron's impact is delayed after a hydrodynamic splashing-like process, which occurs during the plasmonic "formation time" when the electron traverses the "formation zone." Considering this newly revealed process, we show that previous estimates on the yields of graphene plasmons in EELS have been overestimated.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

Formation Mechanism of Guided Resonances and Bound States in the Continuum in Photonic Crystal Slabs

We develop a formalism, based on the mode expansion method, to describe the guided resonances and bound states in the continuum (BICs) in photonic crystal slabs with one-dimensional periodicity. This approach provides analytic insights to the formation mechanisms of these states: the guided resonances arise from the transverse Fabry-Pérot condition, and the divergence of the resonance lifetimes at the BICs is explained by a destructive interference of radiation from different propagating components inside the slab. We show BICs at the center and on the edge of the Brillouin zone protected by symmetry, as well as BICs at generic wave vectors not protected by symmetry.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

Design of Ultra-compact Graphene-based Superscatterers

The energy-momentum dispersion relation is a fundamental property of plasmonic systems. In this paper, we show that the method of dispersion engineering can be used for the design of ultra-compact graphene-based superscatterers. Based on the Bohr model, the dispersion relation of the equivalent planar waveguide is engineered to enhance the scattering cross section of a dielectric cylinder. Bohr conditions with different orders are fulfilled in multiple dispersion curves at the same resonant frequency. Thus the resonance peaks from the first and second order scattering terms are overlapped in the deepsubwavelength scale by delicately tuning the gap thickness between two graphene layers. Using this ultra-compact graphene-based superscatterer, the scattering cross section of the dielectric cylinder can be enhanced by five orders of magnitude.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

Probing topological protection using a designer surface plasmon structure

Topological photonic states, inspired by robust chiral edge states in topological insulators, have recently been demonstrated in a few photonic systems, including an array of coupled on-chip ring resonators at communication wavelengths. However, the intrinsic difference between electrons and photons determines that the topological protection in time-reversal-invariant photonic systems does not share the same robustness as its counterpart in electronic topological insulators. Here, in a designer surface plasmon platform consisting of tunable metallic sub-wavelength structures, we construct photonic topological edge states and probe their robustness against a variety of defect classes, including some common time-reversal-invariant photonic defects that can break the topological protection, but do not exist in electronic topological insulators. This is also the first experimental realization of anomalous Floquet topological edge states, whose topological phase cannot be predicted by the usual Chern number topological invariants.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2015

Concealing arbitrary objects remotely with multi-folded transformation optics

An invisibility cloak that can hide an arbitrary object external to the cloak itself has not been devised before. In this Letter, we introduce a novel way to design a remote cloaking device that makes any object located at a certain distance invisible. This is accomplished using multi-folded transformation optics to remotely generate a hidden region around the object that no field can penetrate and that does not disturb the far-field scattering electromagnetic field. As a result, any object in the hidden region can stay in position or move freely within that region and remain invisible. Our idea is further extended in order to design a remote illusion optics that can transform any arbitrary object into another one. Unlike other cloaking methods, this method would require no knowledge of the details of the object itself. The proposed multi-folded transformation optics will be crucial in the design of remote devices in a variety of contexts.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2015

Atomically thin spherical shell-shaped superscatterers based on Bohr model

Graphene monolayers can be used for atomically thin three-dimensional shell-shaped superscatterer designs. Due to the excitation of the first-order resonance of transverse magnetic (TM) graphene plasmons, the scattering cross section of the bare subwavelength dielectric particle is enhanced significantly by five orders of magnitude. The superscattering phenomenon can be intuitively understood and interpreted with Bohr model. Besides, based on the analysis of Bohr model, it is shown that contrary to the TM case, superscattering is hard to occur by exciting the resonance of transverse electric (TE) graphene plasmons due to their poor field confinements.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2015

Perfect Circular Dichroic Metamirrors

In nature, the beetle Chrysina gloriosa derives its iridescence by selectively reflecting left-handed circularly polarized light only. Here, for the first time, we introduce and demonstrate the optical analogue based on an ultrathin metamaterial, which we term circular dichroic metamirror. A general method to design the circular dichroic metasmirror is presented under the framework of Jones calculus. It is analytically shown that the metamirror can be realized by two layers of anisotropic metamaterial structures, in order to satisfy the required simultaneous breakings of n-fold rotational (n>2) and mirror symmetries. We design an infrared metamirror, which shows perfect reflectance for left-handed circularly polarized light without reversing its handedness, while almost completely absorbs right-handed circularly polarized light. These findings offer new methodology to realize novel chiral optical devices for a variety of applications, including polarimetric imaging, molecular spectroscopy, as well as quantum information processing.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2013

Natural Light Cloaking for Aquatic and Terrestrial Creatures

A cloak that can hide living creatures from sight is a common feature of mythology but still remains unrealized as a practical device. To preserve the phase of wave, the previous cloaking solution proposed by Pendry \emph{et al.} required transforming electromagnetic space around the hidden object in such a way that the rays bending around it have to travel much faster than those passing it by. The difficult phase preservation requirement is the main obstacle for building a broadband polarization insensitive cloak for large objects. Here, we suggest a simplifying version of Pendry's cloak by abolishing the requirement for phase preservation as irrelevant for observation in incoherent natural light with human eyes that are phase and polarization insensitive. This allows the cloak design to be made in large scale using commonly available materials and we successfully report cloaking living creatures, a cat and a fish, in front of human eyes.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2012

Experimental demonstration of a free space cylindrical cloak without superluminal propagation

We experimentally demonstrated an alternative approach of invisibility cloaking that can combine technical advantages of all current major cloaking strategies in a unified manner and thus can solve bottlenecks of individual strategies. A broadband cylindrical invisibility cloak in free space is designed based on scattering cancellation (the approach of previous plasmonic cloaking), and implemented with anisotropic metamaterials (a fundamental property of singular-transformation cloaks). Particularly, non-superluminal propagation of electromagnetic waves, a superior advantage of non-Euclidian-transformation cloaks constructed with complex branch cuts, is inherited in this design, and thus is the reason of its relatively broad bandwidth. This demonstration provides the possibility for future practical implementation of cloaking devices at large scales in free space.

physics.class-ph↗