arXiv subjects

Shunping Zhang

Publications and source records attributed to Shunping Zhang.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2023

Transverse spin-orbit interaction of light

Light carries both longitudinal and transverse spin angular momentum. The spin can couple with its orbital counterpart via the Berry phase, known as the spin-orbit interaction (SOI) of light. The SOI of light discovered previously belongs to the longitudinal one, which relies on the Berry phase in momentum space, such as the optical Magnus effect and the spin Hall effect. Here, we show that transverse SOI, relying on the Berry phase in real space, is inherent in the Helmholtz equation when transverse spinning light propagates in curved paths. The transverse SOI lifts the degeneracy of dispersion relations of light for opposite transverse spin states, analogous to the Dresselhaus effect. Transverse SOI is ubiquitous in nanophotonic systems where transverse spin and optical path bending are inevitable. It can also explain anomalous effects like the dispersion relation of surface plasmon polariton on curved paths and the energy level of whispering gallery modes. Our results reveal the analogies of spin photonics and spintronics and offer a new degree of freedom for integrated photonics, spin photonics, and astrophysics.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2023

Ultrafast Plasmon-mediated Superradiance from Vertically Standing Molecules in Metallic Nanocavities

Plasmon-mediated superradiance for molecules around metallic nanospheres was proposed ten years ago. However, its demonstration has not been achieved yet due to the experimental difficulty of positioning molecules, and the theoretical limitation to the enhanced collective rate of low excited molecules. In this Letter, we propose that the ultrafast plasmon-mediated superradiant pulses can be observed with strongly excited methylene blue molecules standing vertically inside gold nanoparticle-on-mirror nanocavities. Our simulations indicate that in this system the molecules could interact with each other via plasmon- and free-space mediated coherent and dissipative coupling. More importantly, the coherent coupling mediated by short-ranged propagating surface plasmons cancel largely the direct dipole-dipole coupling mediated by the free-space field, and the dominated dissipative coupling mediated by relatively long-ranged gap plasmons enables the ultrafast superradiant pulses within picosecond scale. Our study opens up the possibility of studying the rich superradiant effects from the quantum emitters in a sub-wavelength volumn by engineering the plasmonic environments.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Optomechanical Effects in Nanocavity-enhanced Resonant Raman Scattering of a Single Molecule

In this article, we address the optomechanical effects in surface-enhanced resonant Raman scattering (SERRS) from a single molecule in a nano-particle on mirror (NPoM) nanocavity by developing a quantum master equation theory, which combines macroscopic quantum electrodynamics and electron-vibration interaction within the framework of open quantum system theory. We supplement the theory with electromagnetic simulations and time-dependent density functional theory calculations in order to study the SERRS of a methylene blue molecule in a realistic NPoM nanocavity. The simulations allow us not only to identify the conditions to achieve conventional optomechanical effects, such as vibrational pumping, non-linear scaling of Stokes and anti-Stokes scattering, but also to discovery distinct behaviors, such as the saturation of exciton population, the emergence of Mollow triplet side-bands, and higher-order Raman scattering. All in all, our study might guide further investigations of optomechanical effects in resonant Raman scattering.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2019

Optical Black-hole Analog Created by Topological Phase Transition with a Long-lived Horizon

Hawking radiation, a manifestation of quantum field theory in curved spacetime, has stimulated extensive theoretical and experimental studies of various black-hole (BH) analogs. However, an undisputed confirmation of Hawking radiation remains elusive. One challenge is BH analog structures with long-lived horizons are difficult to achieve. Here, we theoretically demonstrate a new type of optical BH analog based on light cone evolution associated with topological phase transition of Dirac cones. The transition from a type-II to type-I Dirac/Weyl cone creates an analogous curved spacetime that crosses a type-III Dirac/Weyl cone, which affords a stationary configuration of long-lived event horizon. Photons tunneling through the horizon emit a spectrum of Hawking radiation. As an example, we design a laboratory version in an inhomogeneous two-dimensional graphyne-like topological photonic lattice with a Hawking temperature of 0.14 mK. Understanding Hawking-like radiation in this unique topological BH is not only of fundamental interest in its own right but may also provide new hints to gravitational physics.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2016

Plasmonic Superradiance of Two Emitters Near Metal Nanorod

Quantum emitters, such as q-dots and dye molecules, in the immediate vicinity of plasmonic nanostructures, resonantly excite surface plasmon-polaritons (SPPs) under incoherent pump. The efficiency in the excitation of SPPs increases as the number of the emitters, because the SPP field synchronizes emission of the coupled emitters, in analogy with the superadiance (SR) of coupled emitters in free space. Using fully quantum mechanical model for two emitters coupled to a single gold nanorod, we predict up to 15% increase in the emission yield of single emitter compared to only one emitter coupled to the nanorod due to plasmonic SR. (XW: I use emission yield because the quantum efficiency is one for emitters in free space and there is no room for enhancement). Such emission enhancement is stationary and should be observable even with strong dissipation and dephasing under incoherent pump. Solid-state quantum emitters with blinking behaviors may be utilized to demonstrate such plasmonic SR emission enhancement. Plasmonic SR may find implications in the excitation of non-radiative modes in plasmonic waveguides; and lowing threshold of plasmonic nanolasers.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2011

Chiral Surface Plasmon Polaritons on Metallic Nanowires

Chiral surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) can be generated by linearly polarized light incident at the end of a nanowire, exciting a coherent superposition of three specific nanowire waveguide modes. Images of chiral SPPs on individual nanowires obtained from quantum dot fluorescence excited by the SPP evanescent field reveal the chirality predicted in our theoretical model. The handedness and spatial extent of the helical periods of the chiral SPPs depend on the input polarization angle and nanowire diameter as well as the dielectric environment. Chirality is preserved in the free-space output wave, making a metallic nanowire a broad bandwidth subwavelength source of circular polarized photons.

physics.optics↗