arXiv subjects

Matthias Saba

Publications and source records attributed to Matthias Saba.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

From rings to resonance: an inverse method links biophotonic structural color to inverse photonic glasses

Structural color arises from the interaction of light with nanoscale structures and is widespread in nature. As structural complexity increases, the mechanisms governing coloration become progressively less understood. The optical response of periodic photonic crystals with a spatially periodic refractive index is well described by Bloch theory, whereas that of photonic glasses composed of randomly assembled uniform spheres is more subtle yet well studied. In contrast, disordered photonic networks found in many beetles are among the most complex natural photonic architectures, and the fundamental relationships between their structure and color remain unclear. Here, we use an inverse method to identify the structural features encoded in the reflectance spectrum. By comparing the spectrum of an unknown system with a database of simulated spectra from computer-generated photonic networks, we infer its structural properties. Applying this approach to both simulated networks and the biophotonic network responsible for the blue coloration of the weevil Pachyrhynchus congestus mirabilis, we identify rings and pores as the key local scattering motifs. Their characteristic sizes govern the spectral position of the reflectance peak, whereas short-range disorder controls its width. The inverse method reveals clear spectral signatures of short-range order, whereas the influence of hyperuniformity and primitive similarity appears comparatively weak. This suggests that blue structural coloration is governed by local scattering mechanisms rather than photonic band-gap effects. We propose an analogy to an inverse photonic glass, in which pores and rings act as correlated local resonators. This perspective provides new design principles for bio-inspired structural-color materials.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Quasi-Sinusoidal Single Diamond Structure in Royal Jewel Butterfly: An Angle-Independent Photonic Structure

Structural colouration with narrow spectral photonic bandwidth and high reflectivity is of critical importance for modern optical applications, including displays, laser systems, and optical sensing, etc. Achieving such angle independent colouration typically relies on polycrystalline or inherent structural disorder. However, balancing angular uniformity with high brightness and strong colour contrast remains challenging. Herein, we uncover the structural origin of the spectacular bright, angle-independent blue colouration of Hypochrysops polycletus, a sapphire-like Royal Jewel butterfly. Three-dimensional (3D) electron microscopy reveals that the dorsal wing scale has a single diamond structure, a 3D photonic crystal previously documented only in beetles and weevils. The crystal domains form an extraordinary quasi sinusoidal surface geometry with a distinct template morphology-guided arrangement. Unlike typically thicker biophotonic structures that support multiple high symmetry stopbands, this design contains only 3-4 unit cells in the propagation direction. Its optical response is dominated by the fundamental stopband, with two dominant scattering mechanisms: specular reflection at the {111} inclined sidewalls of the hierarchical structure, and funnelling into localised quasi-normal modes enabled by a strongly anisotropic Bloch transport. By mimicking these features with two-photon polymerisation, we artificially reproduced the optical response in the infrared region. The study opens a pathway towards bioinspired brilliant diffuse colouration and angle-robust photonic devices.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Computer Generation of Disordered Networks with Targeted Structural Properties

Disordered spatial networks describe structures and interactions across multiple length scales. The scattering and interference of waves within these networks result in structural phase transitions, localization, diffusion, and band gaps. Studying these phenomena requires efficient numerical methods for generating disordered networks with specific structural properties. The Wooten-Weaire-Winer algorithm is an established method that introduces disorder into an initial network through a series of bond switch moves. However, the strain energies that govern this evolution are conventionally limited to three-dimensional networks with coordination numbers of no more than four. We here introduce a maximum bond repulsion to produce networks with an arbitrary coordination number. We control the degree and type of disorder by adjusting the bond-bending force constant in the strain energy and the temperature profile. The effects of these variables are quantified through a list of order metrics that capture both direct and reciprocal space. A feedforward neural network predicts the structural characteristics from the algorithm inputs, enabling efficient targeted network generation. As a case study, we statistically reproduce four disordered biophotonic networks that exhibit structural color. This work presents a versatile method for generating disordered networks with tailored structural properties. It will provide new insights into structure-property relations.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2025

The chiral gyrating H'-T surface family: construction from the dual qtz--qzd nets and existence proof using a toroidal Weierstrass method

This paper provides a construction and existence proof for a 1-parameter family of chiral unbalanced triply-periodic minimal surfaces of genus 4. We name these {\textit{gyrating H'-T} surfaces, because they are related to Schoen's H'-T surfaces in a similar way as the Gyroid is to the Primitive surface. Their chirality is manifest in a screw symmetry of order six. The two labyrinthine domains on either side of the surface are not congruent, rather one representing the quartz net (\texttt{qtz}) and the other one the dual of the quartz net (\texttt{qzd}). The family tends to the Scherk saddle tower in one limit and to the doubly periodic Scherk surface in the other. The motivation for the construction was to construct a chiral tunable unbalanced surface family, originally as a template for photonic materials. The numeric construction is based on reverse-engineering of the tubular surface of two suitably chosen dual nets, using the \textit{Surface Evolver}} to minimize area or curvature variations. The existence is proved using Weierstrass parametrizations defined on the branched torus.

math.DG↗

arXiv2025

Termination-Driven Control over BIC Q-Factors and Frequencies in Plasmonic Double Net Metamaterials

Interlaced metallic wire meshes are 3D metamaterials consisting of two intertwined metallic networks. These plasmonic double nets give rise to otherwise unobserved longitudinal, weakly dispersive and broadband electron acoustic modes from the effective plasma frequency of the double net down to arbitrarily low frequencies. These modes have recently been shown to generate confined slab modes with extremely long lifetimes (high quality factors), so-called quasi-bound states in the continuum. This work reveals the central role of the double net termination in determining the mode's resonant frequency and quality factor. We compare two limiting cases, a tennis net termination recently studied experimentally by others and a protruding column array with a much lower quality factor, as demonstrated by microwave transmission experiments and full-wave simulations. Our work thus vividly demonstrates the failure of a homogenisation approach to explain and quantify the physics of terminated plasmonic network materials. We introduce a new approach, in which additional evanescent bulk states are included in the scattering problem, yielding a qualitative understanding of the slab's optical response. The resulting engineering principles pave the way for the design and exploitation of these materials for applications such as coherent light generation.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

Deep Learning-Assisted Fourier Analysis for High-Efficiency Structural Design: A Case Study on Three-Dimensional Photonic Crystals Enumeration

The geometric design of structures with optimized physical and chemical properties is one of the core topics in materials science. However, designing new functional materials is challenging due to the vast number of existing and the possible unknown structures to be enumerated and difficulties in mining the underlying correlations between structures and their properties. Here, we propose a universal method for periodic structural design and property optimization. The key in our approach is a deep-learning assisted inverse Fourier transform, which enables the creation of arbitrary geometries within crystallographic space groups. It effectively explores extensive parameter spaces to identify ideal structures with desired properties. Taking the research of three-dimensional (3D) photonic structures as a case study, this method is capable of modelling numerous structures and identifying their photonic bandgaps in just a few hours. We confirmed the established knowledge that the widest photonic bandgaps exist in network morphologies, among which the single diamond (dia net) reigns supreme. Additionally, this method identified a rarely-known lcs topology with excellent photonic properties, highlighting the infinitely extensible application boundaries of our approach. This work demonstrates the high efficiency and effectiveness of the Fourier-based method, advancing material design and providing insights for next-generation functional materials.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2022

Metamaterial Eigenmodes beyond Homogenization

Metamaterial homogenization theories usually start with crude approximations that are valid in certain limits in zero order, such as small frequencies, wave vectors and material fill fractions. In some cases they remain surprisingly robust exceeding their initial assumptions, such as the well-established Maxwell-Garnett theory for elliptical inclusions that can produce reliable results for fill fractions far above its theoretical limitations. We here present a rigorous solution of Maxwell's equations in binary periodic materials employing a combined Greens-Galerkin procedure to obtain a low-dimensional eigenproblem for the evanescent Floquet eigenmodes of the material. In its general form, our method provides an accurate solution of the multi-valued complex Floquet bandstructure, which currently cannot be obtained with established solvers. It is thus shown to be valid in regimes where homogenization theories naturally break down. For small frequencies and wave numbers in lowest order, our method simplifies to the Maxwell-Garnett result for 2D cylinder and 3D sphere packings. It therefore provides the missing explanation why Maxwell-Garnett works well up to extremely high fill fractions of approximately $50\%$ depending on the base materials, provided the inclusions are arranged on an isotropic lattice.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2021

Unconventional bound states in the continuum from metamaterial induced electron-acoustic plasma waves

Photonic bound states in the continuum are spatially localised modes with infinitely long lifetimes that exist within a radiation continuum at discrete energy levels. These states have been explored in various systems where their emergence is either guaranteed by crystallographic symmetries or due to topological protection. Their appearance at desired energy levels is, however, usually accompanied by non-BIC resonances, from which they cannot be disentangled. Here, we propose a new generic mechanism to realize bound states in the continuum that exist by first principles free of other resonances and are robust upon parameter tuning. The mechanism is based on the fundamental band in double-net metamaterials, which provides vanishing homogenized electromagnetic fields. We predict two new types of bound states in the continuum: i) generic modes confined to the metamaterial bulk, mimicking electronic acoustic waves in a hydrodynamic double plasma, and ii) topological surface bound states in the continuum.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2020

Strong Circular Dichroism in Single Gyroid Optical Metamaterials

Over the past two decades, metamaterials have led to an increasing number of biosensing and nanophotonic applications due to the possibility of a careful control of light propagating through subwavelength features. Chiral nanostructures (characterized by the absence of any mirror symmetry), in particular, give rise to unique chiro-optical properties such as circular dichroism and optical activity. Here, we present a gyroid optical metamaterial with a periodicity of 65 nm exhibiting a strong circular dichroism at visible wavelengths. Our bottom-up approach, based on metallic replication of the gyroid morphology in triblock terpolymer films, generates a large area of periodic optical metamaterials. We observe a strong circular dichroism in gold and silver gyroid metamaterials at visible wavelengths. We show that the circular dichroism is inherently linked to the handedness of the gyroid nanostructure, and demonstrate its tuneability. The optical effects are discussed and compared to other existing systems, showing the potential of bottom-up approaches for large-scale circular filters and chiral sensing.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2020

Designing Refractive Index Fluids using the Kramers-Kronig Relations

For a number of optical applications, it is advantageous to precisely tune the refractive index of a liquid. Here, we harness a well-established concept in optics for this purpose. The Kramers-Kronig relation provides physical connection between the spectral variation of the (real) refractive index and the absorption coefficient. In particular a sharp spectral variation of the absorption coefficient gives rise to either an enhancement or reduction of the refractive index in the spectral vicinity of this variation. By using bright commodity dyes that fulfil this absorption requirement, we demonstrate the use of the Kramers-Kronig relation to predictively dial-in refractive index values in water solutions that are otherwise only attained by toxic specialised liquids.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2019

The Nature of Topological Protection in Spin and Valley Hall Insulators

Recent interest in optical analogues to the quantum spin Hall and quantum valley Hall effects is driven by the promise to establish topologically protected photonic edge modes at telecommunication and optical wavelengths on a simple platform suitable for industrial applications. While first theoretical and experimental efforts have been made, these approaches so far both lack a rigorous understanding of the nature of topological protection and the limits of backscattering immunity. We here use a generic group theoretical methodology to fill this gap and obtain general design principles for purely dielectric two-dimensional topological photonic systems. The method comprehensively characterizes possible 2D hexagonal designs and reveals their topological nature, potential and limits.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Gapless Unidirectional Photonic Transport Using All-Dielectric Kagome Lattices

Photonic topological insulators are a promising photonic platform due to the possibility of unidirectional edge states with insensitivity to bending, fabrication imperfections or environmental fluctuation. Here we demonstrate highly efficient unidirectional photonic edge mode propagation facilitated by an optical analogue of the quantum valley Hall effect. With an all-dielectric kagome lattice design, we demonstrate broadband suppressed reflection in the presence of sharp corners and further show negligible vertical losses in a semiconductor-based device at telecommunication wavelengths.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2018

A chiral family of triply-periodic minimal surfaces derived from the quartz network

We describe a new family of triply-periodic minimal surfaces with hexagonal symmetry, related to the quartz (qtz) and its dual (the qzd net). We provide a solution to the period problem and provide a parametrisation of these surfaces, that are not in the regular class, by the Weierstrass-Enneper formalism. We identified this analytical description of the surface by generating an area-minimising mesh interface from a pair of dual graphs (qtz & qzd) using the generalised Voronoi construction of De Campo, Hyde and colleagues, followed by numerical identification of the flat point structure. This mechanism is not restricted to the specific pair of dual graphs, and should be applicable to a broader set of possible dual graph topologies and their corresponding minimal surfaces, if existent.

math.DG↗

arXiv2017

A group theoretical route to deterministic Weyl points in chiral photonic lattices

Classical topological phases derived from point degeneracies in photonic bandstructures show intriguing and unique behaviour. Previously identified exceptional points are based on accidental degeneracies and subject to engineering on a case-by-case basis. Here we show that symmetry induced (deterministic) pseudo Weyl points with non-trivial topology and hyper-conic dispersion exist at the centre of the Brillouin zone of chiral cubic systems. We establish the physical implications by means of a $P2_13$ sphere packing, realised as a nano plasmonic system and a photonic crystal.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2013

Group Theory of Circular-Polarization Effects in Chiral Photonic Crystals with Four-Fold Rotation Axes, Applied to the Eight-Fold Intergrowth of Gyroid Nets

We use group or representation theory and scattering matrix calculations to derive analytical results for the band structure topology and the scattering parameters, applicable to any chiral photonic crystal with body-centered cubic symmetry I432 for circularly-polarised incident light. We demonstrate in particular that all bands along the cubic [100] direction can be identified with the irreducible representations E+/-,A and B of the C4 point group. E+ and E- modes represent the only transmission channels for plane waves with wave vector along the ? line, and can be identified as non-interacting transmission channels for right- (E-) and left-circularly polarised light (E+), respectively. Scattering matrix calculations provide explicit relationships for the transmission and reflectance amplitudes through a finite slab which guarantee equal transmission rates for both polarisations and vanishing ellipticity below a critical frequency, yet allowing for finite rotation of the polarisation plane. All results are verified numerically for the so-called 8-srs geometry, consisting of eight interwoven equal-handed dielectric Gyroid networks embedded in air. The combination of vanishing losses, vanishing ellipticity, near-perfect transmission and optical activity comparable to that of metallic meta-materials makes this geometry an attractive design for nanofabricated photonic materials.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2013

Group Theory of Chiral Photonic Crystals with 4-fold Symmetry: Band Structure and S-Parameters of Eight-Fold Intergrown Gyroid Nets

The Single Gyroid, or srs, nanostructure has attracted interest as a circular-polarisation sensitive photonic material. We develop a group theoretical and scattering matrix method, applicable to any photonic crystal with symmetry I432, to demonstrate the remarkable chiral-optical properties of a generalised structure called 8-srs, obtained by intergrowth of eight equal-handed srs nets. Exploiting the presence of four-fold rotations, Bloch modes corresponding to the irreducible representations E- and E+ are identified as the sole and non-interacting transmission channels for right- and left-circularly polarised light, respectively. For plane waves incident on a finite slab of the 8-srs, the reflection rates for both circular polarisations are identical for all frequencies and transmission rates are identical up to a critical frequency below which scattering in the far field is restricted to zero grating order. Simulations show the optical activity of the lossless dielectric 8-srs to be large, comparable to metallic metamaterials, demonstrating its potential as a nanofabricated photonic material.

physics.optics↗