arXiv subjects

Yaoyu Cao

Publications and source records attributed to Yaoyu Cao.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Nanophotonic inspection of deep-subwavelength integrated optoelectronic chips

Artificial nanostructures with ultrafine and deep-subwavelength feature sizes have emerged as a paradigm-shifting platform to advanced light field management, becoming a key building block for high-performance integrated optoelectronics and flat optics. However, direct optical inspection of such integrated chips with densely packed complex and small features remains a missing metrology gap that hinders quick feedback between design and fabrications. Here, we demonstrate that photothermal nonlinear scattering microscopy can be utilized for direct imaging and resolving of integrated optoelectronic chips beyond the diffraction limit. We reveal that the inherent coupling among deep-subwavelength nanostructures supporting leaky resonances allows for the pronounced heating effect to access reversible nonlinear modulations of the confocal reflection intensity, leading to optical resolving power down to 80 nm (~lambda/7). The versatility of this approach has been exemplified by direct imaging of silicon grating couplers and metalens with a minimum critical dimension of 100 nm, as well as central processing unit (CPU) chip with 45 nm technology, unfolding the long-sought possibility of in-situ, non-destructive, high-throughput optical inspection of integrated optoelectronic chips and nanophotonic chips.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2023

Topological structures of energy flow: Poynting vector skyrmions

Topological properties of energy flow of light are fundamentally interesting and have rich practical applications in optical manipulations. Here, skyrmion-like structures formed by Poynting vectors are unveiled in the focal region of a pair of counter-propagating cylindrical vector vortex beams in free space. A Néel-Bloch-Néel skyrmion type transformation of Poynting vectors is observed along the light propagating direction within a volume with subwavelength feature sizes. The corresponding skyrmion type can be determined by the phase singularities of the individual components of the coherently superposed electromagnetic field in the focal region. This work reveals a new family member of optical skyrmions and may introduce novel physical phenomena associated with light scattering and optical force.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2021

Generating tightly focused perfect optical vortex for ultra-secure optical encryption

Light's orbital angular momentum (OAM) with inherent mode orthogonality has been suggested as a new way to the optical encryption. However, the dependence of annular intensity profiles on the topological charge complicates nanoscale light-matter interactions and hampers the ultra-secure encryption application. In this paper, we demonstrate ultra-secure image encryption by tightly focusing perfect optical vortex (POV) beams with controllable annular intensity profiles and OAM states. A simple scheme composed of single spatial light modulator is proposed to generate radius-controllable POV in tightly focused beams. Such focused POV beams with identical intensity profiles but varied OAM states are applied to disorder-coupled gold nanorod aggregates to selectively excite electromagnetic hot spots for encoding information through photothermal deformation. As such, ultra-secure image encryption in OAM states of POV beams in combination with different polarizations can be achieved. Our results lay the ground for diverse nanophotonic applications harnessing the OAM division of POV beams.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2021

Cylindrical vector beams reveal radiationless anapole condition in a resonant state

Nonscattering optical anapole condition is corresponding to the excitation of radiationless field distributions in open resonators, which offers new degrees of freedom for tailoring light-matter interaction. Conventional mechanisms for achieving such a condition relies on sophisticated manipulation of electromagnetic multipolar moments of all orders to guarantee superpositions of vanished moment strengths at the same wavelength. In contrast, here we report on the excitation of optical radiationless anapole hidden in a resonant state of a Si nanoparticle utilizing tightly focused radially polarized (RP) beam. The coexistence of magnetic resonant state and anapole condition at the same wavelength further enables the triggering of resonant state by tightly focused azimuthally polarized (AP) beam whose corresponding electric multipole coefficient could be zero. As a result, high contrast inter-transition between radiationless anapole condition and ideal magnetic resonant scattering can be achieved experimentally in visible spectrum. The proposed mechanism is general which can be realized in different types of nanostructures. Our results showcase that the unique combination of structured light and structured Mie resonances could provide new degrees of freedom for tailoring light-matter interaction, which might shed new light on functional meta-optics.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2021

Near-perfect fidelity polarization-encoded multilayer optical data storage based on aligned gold nanorods

Encoding information in light polarization is of great importance in facilitating optical data storage (ODS) for information security and data storage capacity escalation. However, despite recent advances in nanophotonic techniques vastly enhancing the feasibility of applying polarization channels, the data fidelity in reconstructed bits has been constrained by severe crosstalks occurring between varied polarization angles during data recording and reading process, which gravely hindered the utilization of this technique in practice. In this paper, we demonstrate an ultra-low crosstalk polarization-encoding multilayer optical data storage technique for high-fidelity data recording and retrieving by utilizing a nanofibre-based nanocomposite film involving highly aligned gold nanorods (GNRs). With parallelizing the gold nanorods in the recording medium, the information carrier configuration minimizes miswriting and misreading possibilities for information input and output, respectively, compared with its randomly self-assembled counterparts. The enhanced data accuracy has significantly improved the bit recall fidelity that is quantified by a correlation coefficient higher than 0.99. It is anticipated that the demonstrated technique can facilitate the development of multiplexing ODS for a greener future.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2020

Topological-darkness-assisted phase regulation for atomically thin meta-optics

Two-dimensional (2D) noble-metal dichalcogenides have emerged as a new platform for the realization of versatile flat optics with a considerable degree of miniaturization. However, light field manipulation at the atomic scale is widely considered unattainable since the vanishing thickness and intrinsic losses of 2D materials completely suppress both resonances and phase accumulation effects. Empowered by conventionally perceived adverse effects of intrinsic losses, we show that the structured PtSe2 films integrated with a uniform substrate can regulate nontrivial singular phase and realize atomic-thick meta-optics in the presence of topological darkness. We experimentally demonstrate a series of atomic-thick binary meta-optics that allows angle-robust and high unit-thickness diffraction efficiency of 0.96%/nm in visible frequencies, given its thickness of merely 4.3 nm. Our results unlock the potential of a new class of 2D flat optics for light field manipulation at an atomic thickness.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2020

Great Chiral Fluorescence from Optical Duality Silver Nanostructures Enabled by 3D Laser Printing

Featured by prominent flexibility and fidelity in producing sophisticated stereoscopic structures transdimensionally, three-dimensional (3D) laser printing technique has vastly extended the toolkit for delivering diverse functional devices. Yet chiral nanoemitters heavily resorting to artificial structures that manifest efficient emission and tightly confined light-mater interactions simultaneously remains alluring but dauntingly challenging for this technique at this moment. In this work, we assert the chiral photoluminescence is implemented from silver nanostructures of optical duality in one go via a twofold three-dimensional laser printing scheme. Such laser printing protocol allows the highly desired duality by simultaneously producing uniformly distributed fluorescent silver nanoclusters and aggregated plasmonic silver nanoparticles to tightly confine chiral interactions at the nanoscale. A helical emitter of 550 nm-helix-diameter as fabricated has seen a record-high luminescence anisotropic factor with the absolute value up to 0.58, which is two orders of magnitude greater than fluorescent chiral silver clusters. This method holds great promise for future versatile applications in chiroptical nanodevices.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2020

Anapole mediated giant photothermal nonlinearity in nanostructured silicon

Featured with a plethora of electric and magnetic Mie resonances, high index dielectric nanostructures offer a versatile platform to concentrate light-matter interactions at the nanoscale. By integrating unique features of far-field scattering control and near-field concentration from radiationless anapole states, here, we demonstrate a giant photothermal nonlinearity in single subwavelength-sized silicon nanodisks. The nanoscale energy concentration and consequent near-field enhancements mediated by the anapole mode yield a reversible nonlinear scattering with a large modulation depth and a broad dynamic range, unveiling a record-high nonlinear index change up to 0.5 at mild incident light intensities on the order of MW/cm2. The observed photothermal nonlinearity showcases three orders of magnitude enhancement compared with that of unstructured bulk silicon, as well as nearly one order of magnitude higher than that through the radiative electric dipolar mode. Such nonlinear scattering can empower distinctive point spread functions in confocal reflectance imaging, offering the potential for far-field localization of nanostructured Si with an accuracy approaching 40 nm. Our findings shed new light on active silicon photonics based on optical anapoles.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2020

Arbitrary Polarization Conversion Dichroism Metasurfaces for All-in-One Full Poincaré Sphere Polarizers

The control of polarization, an essential property of light, is of wide scientific and technological interest. Polarizer is an indispensable optical element for direct polarization generations. Except common linear and circular polarizations, however, arbitrary polarization generation heavily resorts to bulky optical components by cascading linear polarizers and waveplates. Here, we present a general strategy for designing all-in-one full Poincaré sphere polarizers based on perfect arbitrary polarization conversion dichroism, and realize it in a monolayer all-dielectric metasurface. It allows preferential transmission and conversion of one polarization state locating at an arbitrary position of the Poincaré sphere to its handedness-flipped state, while completely blocking its orthogonal state. In contrast to previous work with limited flexibility to only linear or circular polarizations, our method manifests perfect dichroism close to 100% in theory and exceeding 90% in experiments for arbitrary polarization states. Leveraging this tantalizing dichroism, our demonstration of monolithic full Poincaré sphere polarization generators directly from unpolarized light can enormously extend the scope of meta-optics and dramatically push the state-of-the-art nanophotonic devices.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2020

Transmissive Metagrating for Arbitrary Wavefront Shaping Over the Full Visible Spectrum

Metagratings have been shown to form an agile and efficient platform for extreme wavefront manipulation, going beyond the limitations of gradient metasurfaces. Previous approaches for transmissive metagratings have resorted on compound asymmetric inclusions to achieve single-channel near-perfect diffraction. However, such complex inclusions are sensitive to geometric parameters and lack the flexibility for arbitrary phase modulation, restricting applications to beam deflection. Here, we show perfect unitary diffraction in all-dielectric transmissive metagratings using rectangular inclusions by tailoring their multipole interferences. Using this principle, we experimentally demonstrate analog phase profile encoding of a hologram through displacement modulation of CMOS-compatible silicon nitride nanobars, manifesting broadband and wide-angle high diffraction efficiencies for both polarizations and across the entire visible range. Featured with extreme angle/wavelength/polarization tolerance and alleviated structural complexity for both design and fabrication, our demonstration unlocks the full potential of metagrating-based wavefront manipulation for a variety of practical applications.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2020

Ultra-sensitive nanometric flat pigment for binocular stereoscopic image

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) with tantalizing layer-dependent electronic and optical properties have emerged as a new paradigm for integrated flat opto-electronic devices. However, daunting challenges remain in deterministic fabrication of TMD layers with demanded shapes and thicknesses as well as light field manipulation in such atomic-thick layers with vanishingly small thicknesses compared to the wavelength. Here, we demonstrate ultra-sensitive light field manipulation in full visible ranges based on laser exfoliating MoS2 layers with nanometric precisions. The nontrivial interfacial phase shifts stemming from the unique dispersion of MoS2 layers integrated on the metallic substrate empower an ultra-sensitive resonance manipulation up to 12.8 nm per MoS2 layer across the entire visible bands, which is more than five times larger than their counterparts. The interlayer van der Waals interactions endow a laser exfoliation method for on-demand patterning MoS2 with atomic thickness precisions and subwavelength feature sizes in a facile and lithography-free fashion. With this, nanometric flat color prints and further binocular stereoscopic views by multi-perspective diffractive images can be realized. Our results with demonstrated practicality unlock full potentials and pave the way for widespread applications of emerging 2D flat optics.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2019

Full-color complex-amplitude vectorial holograms based on multi-freedom metasurfaces

Phase, polarization, amplitude and frequency represent the basic dimensions of light, playing crucial roles for both fundamental light-mater interactions and all major optical applications. Metasurface emerges as a compact platform to manipulate these knobs, but previous metasurfaces have limited flexibility to simultaneous control them. Here, we introduce a multi-freedom metasurface that can simultaneously and independently modulate phase, polarization and amplitude in an analytical form, and further realize frequency multiplexing by a k-space engineering technique. The multi-freedom metasurface seamlessly combine geometric Pancharatnam-Berry phase and detour phase, both of which are frequency-independent. As a result, it allows complex-amplitude vectorial hologram at various frequencies based on the same design strategy, without sophisticated nanostructure searching of massive size parameters. Based on this principle, we experimentally demonstrate full-color complex-amplitude vectorial meta-holograms in the visible with a metal-insulator metal architecture, unlocking the long-sought full potential of advanced light field manipulation through ultrathin metasurfaces.

physics.optics↗