arXiv subjects

Rebecca Heilmann

Publications and source records attributed to Rebecca Heilmann.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Nanoparticle Arrays for Efficient Organic Light-Emitting Diode Emission Management

OLEDs are increasingly applied in illumination and displays because they offer excellent color quality, are mechanically flexible, and are self-emissive. However, their usage is limited by low external quantum efficiency (EQE) and efficiency roll-off at high driving voltages. These limitations, together with demands for smaller pixels and device sizes in emerging technologies, motivate innovations that increase efficiency and allow replacing external optical elements with embedded solutions. Here, we demonstrate enhanced outcoupling as well as directional and polarization control of OLED emission, based on collective surface lattice resonances of plasmonic nanoparticle arrays that are embedded in the active layers of four different state-of-the-art OLED structures. Both square arrays and more complex lattices producing flat bands are demonstrated to guide the light to directions and polarizations determined by their optical modes. We show that by the design of the array geometry and the OLED structure, spectral and angular enhancement of the electroluminescence (EL), up to 30 %, can be achieved. Our results verify that surface lattice resonances of nanoparticle arrays offer a robust and versatile embedded solution for tailoring the OLED emission, as well as exciting prospects for efficiency increase if combined with narrow-spectrum emitters.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Flat Bands from Diffraction in Periodic Systems

Periodic photonic structures enable precise control over the light-matter interaction through band structure engineering. Certain lattice geometries exhibit dispersionless flat bands, characterized by vanishing group velocity and diverging density of states, which present unique opportunities for applications such as slow light, nonlinear optical processes and controlling photoluminescence. However, thus far, flat bands have not been reported in systems where the lattice sites are radiatively coupled over a long range. Here we show that lattices consisting of superposed equispaced one dimensional chains exhibit flat bands with a purely diffractive origin, with the energies and angles of the flat bands controlled by the geometrical parameters of the lattice and the unit cell. The flat bands extend over all angles, can have linewidths on the order of a few nanometers, and are linearly polarized. We experimentally observe flat bands at predicted energies in lattices of gold nanoparticles at near-infrared frequencies using Fourier spectroscopy. Our results provide a general and efficient design strategy for lattices with flat, polarized dispersions for applications such as flat-band lasing, enhancing light-matter interaction, and controlling the emission or absorption of electromagnetic radiation over a wide spectral range.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Chains of nanoparticles for flat-band emission and lasing

Controlling light-matter interactions is central to photonic technologies ranging from lasers to optical information processing. Suitably designed photonic structures give rise to flat (dispersionless) bands, where the density of states diverges, and group velocity goes to zero, allowing light localization. These properties make flat bands attractive for lasing; however, designing photonic structures supporting flat bands suitable for lasing is challenging. Here, we introduce nanoparticle chain lattices. These chain geometries provide long-range coupled systems that support, at predictable wavelengths, bands that are totally flat and extend over the full angular range. We demonstrate lasing in the transverse-magnetic (TM) mode of single chains of nanoparticles and explain the transition from flat band lasing to the single-mode normal-incidence (Gamma-point) lasing as the number of chains is increased. Moreover, we show partially coherent emission from square and triangular two-dimensional chain lattices. The excited modes depend on the pump power and polarization. Our results establish chain lattices as a versatile platform for exploring flat band lasing and suggest new routes toward narrowband, linearly polarized, and bright light sources with tailored coherence.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

Flat-Band Lasing in Silicon Waveguide-Integrated Metasurfaces

Photonic flat bands are crucial for enabling strong localization of light and enhancing light-matter interactions, as well as tailoring the angular distribution of emission from photonic structures. These unique properties open pathways for developing robust photonic devices, efficient nonlinear optical processes, and novel platforms for exploring topological and quantum phenomena. So far, experimental realizations of lasing in photonic flat bands have been limited to structures that emulate geometrically frustrated lattices in the tight-binding, i.e. short-range coupling, regime. Here, we consider a periodic metasurface with long-range couplings combined with guided modes and report experimental observation of lasing in photonic nearly flat modes. By carefully tuning the thickness of the guiding layer and periodicities, the observed flat lasing spectrum extends up to approximately $ k_{y} = 2 \,\mu\text{m}^{-1} $ in reciprocal space. Simulations show that the observed modes exhibit localization in both the waveguiding and active layers. In addition, we observe accidental bound states in the continuum (BICs) at the lasing frequencies, manifesting through polarization vortices with a topological charge $|q|$= 1.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2024

High topological charge lasing in quasicrystals

Photonic modes exhibiting a polarization winding akin to a vortex possess an integer topological charge. Lasing with topological charge 1 or 2 can be realized in periodic lattices of up to six-fold rotational symmetry. Higher order charges require symmetries not compatible with any two-dimensional Bravais lattice. Here, we experimentally demonstrate lasing with topological charges as high as -5, +7, -17 and +19 in quasicrystals. We discover rich ordered structures of increasing topological charges in the reciprocal space. Our quasicrystal design utilizes group theory in determining electromagnetic field nodes, where lossy plasmonic nanoparticles are positioned to maximize gain. Our results open a new path for fundamental studies of higher-order topological defects, coherent light beams of high topological charge, and realizations of omni-directional, flat-band-like lasing.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2023

Multi-mode lasing in supercell plasmonic nanoparticle arrays

Multicolour light sources can be used in applications such as lighting and multiplexing signals. In photonic and plasmonic systems, one way to achieve multicolour light is via multi-mode lasing. To achieve this, plasmonic nanoparticle arrays are typically arranged in superlattices that lead to multiple dispersions of the single arrays coupled via the superlattice Bragg modes. Here, we show an alternative way to enable multi-mode lasing in plasmonic nanoparticle arrays. We design a supercell in a square lattice by leaving part of the lattice sites empty. This results in multiple dispersive branches caused by the supercell period and hence creates additional band edges that can support lasing. We experimentally demonstrate multi-mode lasing in such a supercell array. Furthermore, we identify the lasing modes by calculating the dispersion by combining the structure factor of the array design with an empty lattice approximation. We conclude that the lasing modes are the 74th $Γ$- and 106th $X$-point of the supercell. By tuning the square lattice period with respect to the gain emission we can control the modes that lase. Finally, we show that the lasing modes exhibit a combination of transverse electric and transverse magnetic mode characteristics in polarization resolved measurements.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2022

Loss-driven topological transitions in lasing

We experimentally observe lasing in a hexamer plasmonic lattice and find that when tuning the scale of the unit cell, the polarization winding of the emission changes. By a theoretical analysis we identify the lasing modes as quasi bound states in continuum (quasi-BICs) of topological charges of zero, one or two. A T-matrix simulation of the structure reveals that the mode quality(Q)-factors depend on the scale of the unit cell, with highest-Q modes favored by lasing. The system thus shows a loss-driven transition between lasing in modes of trivial and high-order topological charge.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2020

Strong coupling between organic dye molecules and lattice modes of a dielectric nanoparticle array

Plasmonic structures interacting with light provide electromagnetic resonances which result in a high degree of local field confinement enabling the enhancement of light-matter interaction. Plasmonic structures typically consist of metals which, however, suffer from very high ohmic losses and heating. High-index dielectrics, on the other hand, can serve as an alternative material due to their low-dissipative nature and strong scattering abilities. We study the optical properties of a system composed of all-dielectric nanoparticle arrays covered with a film of organic dye molecules (IR-792), and compare these dielectric arrays with metallic nanoparticle arrays. We tune the light-matter interaction by changing the concentration in the dye film and report the system to be in the strong coupling regime. We observe a Rabi splitting between the surface lattice resonances (SLRs) of the nanoparticle arrays and the absorption line of the dye molecules of up to 253 meV and 293 meV, for the dielectric and metallic nanoparticles, respectively. The Rabi splitting depends linearly on the square root of the dye molecule concentration , and we further assess how the Rabi splitting depends on the film thickness for a low dye molecule concentration. For thinner films of thicknesses up to 260 nm, we observe no visible Rabi splitting. However, a Rabi splitting evolves at thicknesses from 540 nm to 990 nm. We perform finite-difference time-domain simulations to analyze the near-field enhancements for the dielectric and metallic nanoparticle arrays. The electric fields are enhanced by a factor of 1200 and 400, close to the particles for gold and amorphous silicon, respectively, and the modes extend over half a micron around the particles for both materials.

physics.optics↗