arXiv subjects

Peiheng Zhou

Publications and source records attributed to Peiheng Zhou.

28 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2022

Magnetically tunable zero-index metamaterials

Zero-index metamaterials (ZIMs) feature a uniform electromagnetic mode over a large area in arbitrary shapes, enabling many applications including high-transmission supercouplers with arbitrary shapes, direction-independent phase matching for nonlinear optics, and collective emission of many quantum emitters. However, most ZIMs reported till date are passive, with no method for the dynamic modulation of their electromagnetic properties. Here, we design and fabricate a magnetically tunable ZIM consisting of yttrium iron garnet (YIG) pillars sandwiched between two copper clad laminates in the microwave regime. By harnessing the Cotton-Mouton effect of YIG, the metamaterial was successfully toggled between gapless and bandgap states, leading to a "phase transition" between a zero-index phase and a single negative phase of the metamaterial. Using an S-shaped ZIM supercoupler, we experimentally demonstrated a tunable supercoupling state with a low intrinsic loss of 0.95 dB and a high extinction ratio of up to 30.63 dB at 9 GHz. Our work enables dynamic modulation of the electromagnetic characteristics of ZIMs, enabling various applications in tunable linear, nonlinear, quantum and nonreciprocal electromagnetic devices.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2021

Observation of Weyl point pair annihilation in a gyromagnetic photonic crystal

Weyl semimetals are gapless three-dimensional (3D) phases whose bandstructures contain Weyl point (WP) degeneracies. WPs carry topological charge and can only be eliminated by mutual annihilation, a process that generates the various topologically distinct 3D insulators. Time reversal (T) symmetric Weyl phases, containing a minimum of four WPs, have been extensively studied in real materials, photonic metamaterials, and other systems. Weyl phases with a single WP pair - the simplest configuration of WPs - are more elusive as they require T-breaking. Here, we implement a microwave-scale gyromagnetic 3D photonic crystal, and use field-mapping experiments to track a single pair of ideal WPs whose momentum space locations depend strongly on the biasing magnetic field. By continuously varying the field strength, we observe the annihilation of the WPs, and the formation of a 3D Chern insulator, a previously unrealised member of the family of 3D topological insulators (TIs). Surface measurements show, in unprecedented detail, how the Fermi arc states connecting the WPs evolve into TI surface states.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

Generation and Focusing of Orbital Angular Momentum Based on Polarized Reflectarray at Microwave Frequency

A novel polarized reflectarray is designed, fabricated, and experimentally characterized to show its flexibility and efficiency to control wave generation and focusing of orbital angular momentum (OAM) vortices with desirable OAM modes in the microwave frequency regime. In order to rigorously study the generation and focusing of OAM, a versatile analytical theory is proposed to theoretically study the compensation phase of reflectarray. Two prototypes of microwave reflectarrays are fabricated and experimentally characterized at 12 GHz, one for generation and one for focusing of OAM-carrying beams. Compared with the OAM-generating reflectarray, the reflectarray for focusing OAM vortex can significantly reduce the beam diameter, and this can further improve the transmission efficiency of the OAM vortex beams. We also show that the numerical and experimental results agree very well. The proposed design method and reflectarrays may spur the development of new efficient approaches to generate and focus OAM vortex waves for applications to microwave wireless communications.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2020

Observation of nonreciprocal magneto-optical scattering in nonencapsulated few-layered CrI3

Magneto-optical effect refers to a rotation of polarization plane, which has been widely studied in traditional ferromagnetic metal and insulator films and scarcely in two-dimensional layered materials. Here we uncover a new nonreciprocal magneto-inelastic light scattering effect in ferromagnetic few-layer CrI3. We observed a rotation of the polarization plane of inelastic light scattering between -20o and +60o that are tunable by an out-of-plane magnetic field from -2.5 to 2.5 T. It is experimentally observed that the degree of polarization can be magnetically manipulated between -20% and 85%. This work raises a new magneto-optical phenomenon and could create opportunities of applying 2D ferromagnetic materials in Raman lasing, topological photonics, and magneto-optical modulator for information transport and storage.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2020

Observation of photonic antichiral edge states

Chiral edge states are a hallmark feature of two-dimensional topological materials. Such states must propagate along the edges of the bulk either clockwise or counterclockwise, and thus produce oppositely propagating edge states along the two parallel edges of a strip sample. However, recent theories have predicted a counterintuitive picture, where the two edge states at the two parallel strip edges can propagate in the same direction; these anomalous topological edge states are named as antichiral edge states. Here we report the experimental observation of antichiral edge states in a gyromagnetic photonic crystal. The crystal consists of gyromagnetic cylinders in a honeycomb lattice, with the two triangular sublattices magnetically biased in opposite directions. With microwave measurement, unique properties of antichiral edge states have been observed directly, which include the titled dispersion, the chiral-like robust propagation in samples with certain shapes, and the scattering into backward bulk states at certain terminations. These results extend and supplement the current understanding of chiral edge states.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

Ideal Unconventional Weyl Point in a Chiral Photonic Metamaterial

Unconventional Weyl points (WPs), carrying topological charge 2 or higher, possess interesting properties different from ordinary charge-1 WPs, including multiple Fermi arcs that stretch over a large portion of the Brillouin zone. Thus far, such WPs have been observed in chiral materials and acoustic metamaterials, but there has been no clean demonstration in photonics in which the unconventional photonic WPs are separated from trivial bands. We experimentally realize an ideal symmetry-protected photonic charge-2 WP in a three-dimensional topological chiral microwave metamaterial. We use field mapping to directly observe the projected bulk dispersion, as well as the two long surface arcs that form a noncontractible loop wrapping around the surface Brillouin zone. The surface states span a record-wide frequency window of around 22.7% relative bandwidth. We demonstrate that the surface states exhibit a novel topological self-collimation property and are robust against disorder. This work provides an ideal photonic platform for exploring fundamental physics and applications of unconventional WPs.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

Spin-Valley Locking Effect in Defect States of Monolayer MoS$_2$

Valley pseudospin in two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) allows optical control of spin-valley polarization and intervalley quantum coherence. Defect states in TMDs give rise to new exciton features and theoretically exhibit spin-valley polarization; however, experimental achievement of this phenomenon remains challenges. Here, we report unambiguous valley pseudospin of defect-bound localized excitons in CVD-grown monolayer MoS2; enhanced valley Zeeman splitting with an effective g-factor of -6.2 is observed. Our results reveal that all five d-orbitals and the increased effective electron mass contribute to the band shift of defect states, demonstrating a new physics of the magnetic responses of defect-bound localized excitons, strikingly different from that of A excitons. Our work paves the way for the manipulation of the spin-valley degrees of freedom through defects toward valleytronic devices.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2020

Amorphous photonic topological insulator

Photonic topological insulators (PTIs) exhibit robust photonic edge states protected by band topology, similar to electronic edge states in topological band insulators. Standard band theory does not apply to amorphous phases of matter, which are formed by non-crystalline lattices with no long-range positional order but only short-range order. Among other interesting properties, amorphous media exhibit transitions between glassy and liquid phases, accompanied by dramatic changes in short-range order. Here, we experimentally investigate amorphous variants of a Chern-number-based PTI. By tuning the disorder strength in the lattice, we demonstrate that photonic topological edge states can persist into the amorphous regime, prior to the glass-to-liquid transition. After the transition to a liquid-like lattice configuration, the signatures of topological edge states disappear. This interplay between topology and short-range order in amorphous lattices paves the way for new classes of non-crystalline topological photonic materials.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2019

Layer Dependence of Stacking Order in Nonencapsulated Few-layer CrI3

Long-range magnetic orders in atomically thin ferromagnetic CrI3 give rise to new fascinating physics and application perspectives. The physical properties of two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnetism CrI3 are significantly influenced by interlayer spacing and stacking order, which are sensitive to the hydrostatic pressure and external environments. However, there remains debate on the stacking order at low temperature. Here, we study the interlayer coupling and stacking order of non-encapsulated 2-5 layer and bulk CrI3 at 10 K by Raman spectroscopy; demonstrate a rhombohedral stacking in both antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic CrI3. The opposite helicity dependence of Ag and Eg modes arising from phonon symmetry further validate the rhombohedral stacking. An anomalous temperature-dependent behavior is observed due to spin-phonon coupling below 60 K. Our work provides insights into the interlayer coupling and stacking orders of 2D ferromagnetic materials.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2019

Observation of an unpaired photonic Dirac point

At photonic Dirac points, electromagnetic waves are governed by the same equations as two-component massless relativistic fermions. However, photonic Dirac points are known to occur in pairs in "photonic graphene" and other similar photonic crystals, which necessitates special precautions to excite only states near one of the Dirac points. Systems hosting unpaired photonic Dirac points are significantly harder to realize, as they require broken time-reversal symmetry. Here, we report on the first observation of an unpaired Dirac point in a planar two-dimensional photonic crystal. The structure incorporates gyromagnetic materials, which break time-reversal symmetry; the unpaired Dirac point occurs when a parity-breaking parameter is fine-tuned to a topological transition between a photonic Chern insulator and a conventional photonic insulator phase. Evidence for the unpaired Dirac point is provided by transmission and field-mapping experiments, including a demonstration of strongly non-reciprocal reflection. This photonic crystal is suitable for investigating the unique features of two-dimensional Dirac states, such as one-way Klein tunneling.

physics.app-ph↗