arXiv subjects

Pavel Shafirin

Publications and source records attributed to Pavel Shafirin.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Nanoscale Photo-Thermal Interaction Theory

Photothermal interaction in nanoscale systems has emerged as a versatile tool for selective heat deposition and robust tuning of optical responses with a myriad of applications from hyperthermal medical treatment to switching and routing of optical signals. However, to date a comprehensive theory of transient photothermal interaction is missing. Development of such a theory is particularly challenged when optical excitation duration is comparable to the timescale related of heat transport, an emergent regime with a mutually interconnected transient interplay of light abortion and heat-induced change of optical responses. Here, we develop a coupled mode theory that captures intricate transient photothermal phenomena in a wide range of nanoscale systems. We further reveal conditions for optimal energy deposition and heating. As an example scenario we apply our model to design metasurfaces with high contrast and efficient temperature and optical switching, demonstrating fast cooling to the rest state (within 40 ns). Beyond exquisite control of both transient temperature profiles and optical responses, our theory offers deep physical insights onto photo-thermal interaction at the nanoscale which can find use in variety of fields from medical treatment to active photonics and manufacturing.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

Soft Electrothermal Meta-Actuator for Robust Multifunctional Control

Soft electrothermal actuators are of great interest in diverse application domains for their simplicity, compliance, and ease of control. However, the very nature of thermally induced mechanical actuation sets inherent operation constraints: unidirectional motion, environmental sensitivity, and slow response times limited by passive cooling. To overcome these constraints, we propose a meta-actuator architecture, which uses engineered heat transfer in thin films to achieve multifunctional operation. We demonstrate electrically selectable bidirectional motion with large deflection ($ \geq $28% of actuator length at 0.75 W), suppressed thermal sensitivity to ambient temperature changes when compared to conventional actuators (>100$ \times $ lower), and actively forced return to the rest state, which is 10 times faster than that with passive cooling. We further show that our meta-actuator approach enables extended ranges of motions for manipulating complex objects. Versatile soft gripper operations highlight the meta-actuator's potential for soft robotics and devices.

cs.RO↗

arXiv2024

Nonlinear van der Waals metasurfaces with resonantly enhanced light generation

Efficient nonlinear wave mixing is of paramount importance for a wide range of applications. However, weak optical nonlinearities pose significant challenges for accessing nonlinear light-matter interaction in compact systems. Here, we experimentally study second harmonic generation in deeply subwavelength 3R-MoS2 metasurfaces (<λ/13 thick). Our measurements, supported by theoretical analysis, reveal a complex interplay and coupling between geometric resonances, optical extinction, and strong nonlinear susceptibility dispersion near excitons. We further demonstrate >150-fold enhancement in second harmonic signal at 740 nm driven by the A exciton resonance. Additionally, our theoretical studies predict an enhancement of more than 10^6 in second harmonic generation in <100 nm thick structures exhibiting bound states in the continuum resonance. These findings provide insight into accessing and harnessing the unprecedented 3R-MoS2 nonlinearities at a subwavelength scale, paving the way for ultracompact nonlinear photonic devices.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2019

Overcoming the efficiency-bandwidth tradeoff for optical harmonics generation using nonlinear time-variant resonators

Highly resonant photonic structures, such as cavities and metasurfaces, can dramatically enhance the efficiency of nonlinear processes by utilizing strong optical field enhancement at the resonance. The latter, however, comes at the expense of the bandwidth. Here, we overcome such tradeoff by utilizing time-varying resonant structures. Using harmonics generation as an example, we show that the amplitude and phase format of the excitation, as well as the time evolution of the resonator, can be optimized to yield the strongest nonlinear response. We find the conditions for an efficient synthesis of electromagnetic signals that surpass the cavity bandwidth, and discuss a potential experimental realization of this concept.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2018

Optical coupling between resonant dielectric nanoparticles and dielectric waveguides probed by third harmonic generation microscopy

Localized electromagnetic modes and negligible Ohmic losses dictate the growing interest in subwavelength all-dielectric nanoparticles. Although an exhaustive volume of study dealt with interaction of all-dielectric nanostructures with free-space electromagnetic fields, their performance as integrated photonics elements remains untackled. We present an experimental study of optical coupling between a resonant subwavelength silicon nanodisk and a non-resonant silicon waveguide, as probed by third harmonic generation microscopy. By placing the nanodisks at different distances from the waveguide, we observe third harmonic intensity modulation by a factor of up to 4.5. This modulation is assigned to changes in the local field enhancement within the nanodisks caused by their coupling to the waveguides and subsequent modulation of their magnetic-type resonances. Interestingly, although the waveguide presents an additional loss channel for the nanodisk, we observe an increase in the local field strength within the nanodisk, as verified by rigorous full-wave simulations. This work makes a step toward integration of all-dielectric nanoparticles on photonic chips.

physics.optics↗