arXiv subjects

Yiwei Ju

Publications and source records attributed to Yiwei Ju.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Hybrid BaTiO3/TiO2 Metasurface for Efficient Gigahertz-Speed Free-Space Electro-Optic Modulation

Free-space electro-optic modulators are key to emerging photonic systems, yet their performance remains limited by trade-offs between modulation efficiency, bandwidth, and device aperture. Here we report a hybrid BaTiO3 (BTO)/TiO2 metasurface for large-aperture, efficient, gigahertz-speed free-space electro-optic modulation. Combining scalable BTO film growth by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering with mature TiO2 nanofabrication, we pattern the metasurface in TiO2 on an unetched BTO layer. The resulting devices support guided-mode resonances with quality factors exceeding 1300 and an optical confinement factor of ~0.8, while the continuous BTO layer makes efficient use of the applied voltage, together maximizing the overlap between the optical and driving fields within the BTO. A device with a 0.3 mm x 0.3 mm metasurface achieves a transmittance modulation efficiency of ~0.020 per volt and a -3 dB electro-optic bandwidth of ~0.8 GHz, with an effective Pockels coefficient of ~151 pm/V for the BTO. This establishes a scalable route to high-performance free-space electro-optic modulators for LiDAR, free-space optical communication, and reconfigurable optical computing.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Quantum-Well-Metasurface to Maximize Nonlinear Polarization

Nonlinear frequency conversion unlocks technologies ranging from telecommunications to quantum computation; however, weak nonlinearities and architectures that resist miniaturization currently limit devices. Here, we combine a bandstructure-engineered GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure with a high quality factor dielectric metasurface to simultaneously tailor the intrinsic nonlinear susceptibility and optimize the electromagnetic field within the heterostructure. By engineering a resonant interband transition, we realize a large second-order nonlinear tensor element, 1.6 nm/V at 1.57 um wavelength. We then make it free-space-accessible and boost the effective nonlinearity to ~ 14 nm/V using a metasurface patterned on the material. Our proof-of-concept experiment establishes that interband transition engineering and metasurfaces accessing otherwise unusable nonlinear tensor elements enable giant effective nonlinearities in the near-infrared to visible spectrum. This addresses material and device-level constraints in nonlinear photonics, providing a scalable route to compact, efficient devices.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Pulsed Laser Template Engineering- PLATEN

Thin films of functional inorganic materials, particularly oxides, play a vital role in optoelectronics, enabling applications that range from active optical components to MEMS-based architectures. Achieving high aspect ratio patterning of these functional materials remains a significant challenge, as many of their constituent elements do not readily form volatile compounds required for conventional reactive ion etch processes. We introduce a novel approach, Pulsed Laser Template ENgineering (PLATEN), which offers a more accessible route for patterning materials that are typically difficult to etch. This technique involves depositing functional films using the Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) process onto silicon substrates that have been pre-patterned using reactive ion etching to create high aspect ratio features. Due to the highly forward-directed nature of the PLD process, the deposited films replicate closely the topography of the patterned silicon, without coatings the sidewalls. This process remains effective even at feature sizes down to approximately 50 nm. The oxide films replicate the underlying silicon pattern to a thickness of 80 nm. For thickness beyond 80 nm the patterns develop a waist at the midpoint which scales with film thickness and is not dependent on the feature size. In this paper, we present a detailed analysis of the PLATEN process, including deviations from ideal pattern replication in sub-micron features as a function of film thickness, and demonstrate near single crystalline growth of oxides on the patterned silicon substrate, demonstrating the potential of PLATEN technique for active opto-electronic materials.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Epitaxial CeO2 Films as a Host for Quantum Applications

In highly purified host, the coherence of quantum emitters is ultimately limited by hyperfine interactions between the emitter and lattice nuclei possessing non-zero nuclear magnetic moments. This limitation can only be mitigated through isotopic purification. In this work, we investigate CeO2 as a host composed entirely of nuclei with zero nuclear moment. High-quality CeO2 thin films were grown by PLD and doped with Tm and Er ions. Structural characterization using X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and ion channeling confirms single-crystalline, atomically smooth films with dopants substitutionally incorporated at Ce lattice sites. Photoluminescence lifetime measurements show significantly longer lifetimes for Er-doped CeO2 (2.9 - 5.3 ms) compared with Tm-doped films (14 - 68 {\mu}s). Moreover, the Er-doped PLD films exhibit longer lifetimes at ~1% dopant concentration than previously reported for MBE-grown films. Density functional theory calculations reveal a substantial overlap between unoccupied O 2p and Tm 4f states near the valence band maximum, whereas Er 4f states remain well isolated. This electronic interaction likely introduces non-radiative recombination pathways in Tm-doped CeO2, explaining the reduced lifetimes. These findings highlight the importance of selecting appropriate dopant-host combinations and optimized growth conditions to minimize non-radiative channels for quantum applications.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

High-efficiency Pt$_{75}$Au$_{25}$-based spintronic terahertz emitters

Spintronic terahertz emitters (STEs) generate broadband THz radiation via ultrafast spin-charge conversion in magnetic multilayers, offering spectral coverage beyond that of photoconductive antennas and nonlinear optical crystals. Here, we demonstrate a new type of STE based on PtxAu100-x alloy that achieves significantly higher THz output power than widely used Pt-based devices. Alloy composition and layer thickness tuning yield Pt75Au25 as the optimal alloy providing a 30 % increase in THz power in CoFeB/Pt75Au25 bilayer STEs compared to the optimized CoFeB/Pt reference STE. In W/CoFeB/Pt$_{75}$Au$_{25}$ trilayer STEs, we observe a 10 % higher THz power than in the optimized W/CoFeB/Pt trilayer. The STE efficiency is reduced upon annealing for both Pt$_{75}$Au$_{25}$- and Pt-based STEs due to formation of interfacial alloys. Our results establish Pt$_{75}$Au$_{25}$ as a promising platform for high-performance STEs, where its giant spin Hall effect significantly enhances efficiency over conventional Pt-based devices.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗