Article
Optics
Jingyi Yang, Khant Minn, Aleksei Anopchenko, Sudip Gurung, Ho Wai Howard Lee
Summary: This article reports on the experimental excitation of a highly confined epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) mode in a side-polished optical fiber coated with a deep subwavelength thick layer of aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO). The uniform AZO layer is fabricated on the fiber using atomic layer deposition, with optimized permittivity at the near-infrared wavelength. The ENZ-coated fiber exhibits highly polarization- and wavelength-dependent transmission with strong resonance strength and a relatively long propagation/light-matter interaction length.
LASER & PHOTONICS REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
M. Channab, C. F. Pirri, A. Angelini
Summary: This work discusses using epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) metamaterials to efficiently couple light from a dipolar source to an in-plane waveguide, optimizing the injection of light by tuning the metal fill factor. The study demonstrates a net increase in injected intensity in experimentally feasible conditions compared to total radiated power from the isolated dipole, suggesting new opportunities for optical applications and integrated technologies limited by outcoupling efficiency and emission rate.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Wallace Jaffray, Matteo Clerici, Bram Heijnen, Alexandra Boltasseva, Vladimir M. Shalaev, Marcello Ferrera
Summary: Transparent conducting oxides show giant optical nonlinearities where their refractive index approaches zero. Here, the nonlinear optical absorption of low-index aluminium zinc oxide thin films is studied. Under optical excitation, the field penetration depth doubles, and the nonlinear spectral redistribution of the probe signal leads to local net gain. The study advances parametric amplification as a viable loss compensation process.
ADVANCED OPTICAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Binbin Hong, Lei Sun, Wanlin Wang, Yanbing Qiu, Naixing Feng, Dong Su, Nutapong Somjit, Ian Robertson, Guo Ping Wang
Summary: The rapidly growing global data usage demands more efficient utilization of the limited electromagnetic spectrum resource. Researchers have focused on the development of efficient multiplexing techniques in the millimeter-wave band to maximize the transmission capacity of future wireless networks. By utilizing the frequency-selective tunnelling effect of low-loss epsilon-near-zero metamaterial waveguide, a five-channel frequency-division multiplexing and demultiplexing in the millimeter-wave range is demonstrated numerically and experimentally. This strategy offers great flexibility in manipulating the filter Q-factors and transmission spectra of different channels, providing a potential solution for the efficient allocation of spectrum in future communication networks.
SCIENCE CHINA-PHYSICS MECHANICS & ASTRONOMY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kai Sun, Chong Wang, Jiahong Tian, Zheng Zhang, Ni Zeng, Rui Yin, Wenxin Duan, Qing Hou, Yaman Zhao, Haikun Wu, Runhua Fan
Summary: Magnetic-driven broadband ENZ materials, achieved by fabricating PVA/Ni@CNTs films, exhibit unique physical characteristics and show great potentials in various applications. The film also demonstrates excellent magnetic actuation ability under a magnetic field, expanding its applications to novel fields.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Ceramics
Yunpeng Qu, Chuanbing Cheng, Rongwei Ma, Runhua Fan
Summary: In this study, graphene-carbon nanotube/copper calcium titanate ceramic nanocomposites were prepared using spark plasma sintering technology, showing a correlation between the content of graphene-carbon nanotubes and epsilon-negative property. By constructing three-dimensional graphene-carbon nanotube networks in the ceramics, epsilon-negative and epsilon-near-zero properties were achieved. Additionally, dielectric loss behavior and impedance response were discussed, and the inductive character of epsilon-negative materials was explained through equivalent circuit analysis.
CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Optics
Qingdong Yang, Yi Wang, Jinhui Shi, Changxu Liu, Shuang Zhang
Summary: This study proposes a novel method for achieving arbitrary power distribution by leveraging the unique properties of an Epsilon Near Zero (ENZ) environment. It shows that power from a single source can be transferred to multiple receivers inside an ENZ medium by modifying the optical properties of the receivers. This approach eliminates the need for complex configurations and communications and enables efficient energy transfer.
LASER & PHOTONICS REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yujing Ran, Huiping Lu, Shujun Zhao, Qian Guo, Chang Gao, Zhaotan Jiang, Zhi Wang
Summary: Metal nitride NbNx films with different nitrogen content were prepared and demonstrated stoichiometry-tunable on lattice constant, chemical state, and plasmonic properties. The films exhibit dual ENZ behavior in the range of 400 to 1000 nm, with tunable negative real part of epsilon below 1.0. Non-stoichiometric defects, particularly cation vacancies, were found to be key factors affecting the ENZ behavior of NbNx films.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Minjae Kim, Kyu Ri Choi, Yeon Ui Lee, Benoit Heinrich, Soo Young Ko, Fabrice Mathevet, Jean-Charles Ribierre, Anthony D'Aleo, Jeong Weon Wu, Virginie Placide
Summary: The study explores organic thin films with unique optical properties, where ENZ and ENP occur at different permittivities, highlighting the significance of transverse positive hyperbolic dispersion in the pristine film.
ADVANCED OPTICAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Zhida Guo, Dong Wu, Feilian Zhang, Jiannan Dong, Xiaofang Jiang, Peng Han, Yihang Chen
Summary: ITO/Ag/ITO trilayer coatings deposited by magnetron sputtering with high-temperature heat treatment can significantly enhance the nonlinear response in their effective epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) regions. In the ENZ spectral region, the ITO/Ag/ITO samples exhibit enhanced nonlinear refractive indices as large as 2.397 x 10(-15) m(2) W-1, over 27 times larger than that of an individual ITO layer. Such a nonlinear optical response is well described using a two-temperature model. These findings provide a new paradigm for developing nonlinear optical devices for applications requiring low power.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Dipa Ghindani, Alireza R. Rashed, Mohsin Habib, Humeyra Caglayan
Summary: This work demonstrates the active tuning of coupling strength in a strongly coupled system comprised of a thin epsilon-near-zero material and gold nanorods. A novel gating scheme using an ionic liquid is developed to bias the system and tune the coupling in transmission mode, resulting in a significant tuning of the coupled resonance up to 30 nm by changing bias voltages from 0 to 4.5 V. This control mechanism on strong coupling offers exciting opportunities for various disruptive applications by providing advanced control and tunability.
ADVANCED OPTICAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ryan Bower, Matthew P. Wells, Freya Johnson, Rebecca Kilmurray, Brock Doiron, Eleonora Cali, Giuseppe Mallia, Bin Zou, Andrei P. Mihai, Nicholas M. Harrison, Sarah Fearn, Rupert Oulton, Neil McN. Alford, Lesley F. Cohen, Peter K. Petrov
Summary: This study investigates the optical response and electrical properties of reactively sputtered niobium oxynitride thin films through experimental and computational simulations. The experimental results show that these films have screened plasma wavelengths tunable over a range of 90 nm, and exhibit a double epsilon-near-zero behavior. This behavior is attributed to the incorporation of oxygen into the films during deposition.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Xinxiang Niu, Xiaoyong Hu, Yi Xu, Hong Yang, Qihuang Gong
Summary: An all-optical polarization switching device with high speed, broadband, and diverse tunability has been developed, showing promising applications in next-generation high-performance signal processing systems.
ADVANCED PHOTONICS RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Optics
Wendi Yan, Ziheng Zhou, Hao Li, Wangyu Sun, Qihao Lv, Yue Li
Summary: Different from classical periodic-resonator-based metamaterials, epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) metamaterials achieve equivalent electromagnetic characteristics in deep subwavelength scales. By substituting dielectric dopants with metal-layer dopants, a dielectric-free approach is used to construct a low-loss resonant cavity, enabling the largest tuning range of the effective permeability mu(eff). The low-loss benefits of layer-type ENZ metamaterials are demonstrated in integrated microfluidic switches and high-sensitivity sensors, showing universal significance for wide-range applications in extreme-small-volume devices and systems.
LASER & PHOTONICS REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Jiahong Tian, Runhua Fan, Zheng Zhang, Yang Li, Haikun Wu, Pengtao Yang, Peitao Xie, Wenxin Duan, Chun-Sing Lee
Summary: Epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) materials have unique physical properties and show great potentials in the fields of flexible electronics, wearable devices, and sensors. In this study, flexible and biocompatible poly (vinyl alcohol)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (PVA/MWCNTs) hydrogels were used as ENZ materials at radio frequency for the first time. The hydrogels exhibited two different water states, and the ENZ phenomenon was observed when the MWCNTs content reached a certain percentage.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Jiayao Huang, Feng Ye, Qian Li
Summary: CMOS-compatible silicon-based nonlinear optical devices have advantages of lower operating powers, precise dispersion control, and extensive transparency range. In this article, we propose a cascaded soliton compression scheme on CMOS-compatible Silicon Nanophotonic Wire Waveguides in the mid-infrared region, achieving large compression factor. This research demonstrates the potential of dispersion engineering waveguides for mid-infrared low-power applications.
JOURNAL OF LIGHTWAVE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Optics
Chenxingyu Huang, Jiaye Wu, Yuqing Wang, Zimiao Wang, H. Y. Fu, Qian Li
Summary: This study numerically investigates pulse interactions in multilayer structures with near-zero effective permittivity using genetic algorithms. The temporal shapes and spectra of the pulses experience attenuation and the appearance of a second peak due to localization and resonances between layers. The use of genetic algorithms allows for the optimization of multilayer structures with enhanced reflective properties.
JOURNAL OF THE OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA B-OPTICAL PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Optics
Jiaye Wu, Jianqi Hu, Camille-Sophie Bres
Summary: The temporal Talbot effect refers to the self-imaging phenomenon of an optical pulse train during dispersive propagation. While this phenomenon has been extensively studied for bright pulse trains, this research explores the temporal self-imaging of dark pulse trains for the first time and compares it with the bright pulse counterparts. The study reveals that dark pulse trains also exhibit self-revival at the Talbot length.
Article
Optics
Ze Tao Xie, Yanhua Sha, Jiaye Wu, H. Y. Fu, Qian Li
Summary: This study numerically investigates the ultrafast dynamic switching of optical response using a tunable hyperbolic metamaterial (HMM) on a femtosecond time-scale. The results show that the HMM platform allows large and broad all-optical modulation of the effective permittivity and topology, with considerable tunability in extinction ratio and Purcell enhancement under different pump fluence. Additionally, all-optical control of coupling strength is achieved by depositing plasmonic resonators on the HMM platform.
Article
Optics
Jiaye Wu, Xuanyi Liu, Boris A. Malomed, Kuan-Chang Chang, Minghe Zhao, Kang Qi, Yanhua Sha, Ze Tao Xie, Marco Clementi, Camille-Sophie Bres, Shengdong Zhang, Hongyan Fu, Qian Li
Summary: This study reports on a novel photonic system that emulates the scheme of a radio-frequency superconducting quantum interference device (RF-SQUID) using epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) nanolayers in a fiber laser cavity. Different ENZ wavelengths lead to distinct spectral outputs through the variation of cavity resonances. The findings provide insights into ultrafast ENZ photonics, enabling the design of nanophotonic on-chip devices and the study of superconducting and quantum-mechanical systems.
LASER & PHOTONICS REVIEWS
(2022)
Correction
Optics
Ze Tao Xie, Yanhua Sha, Jiaye Wu, H. Y. Fu, Qian Li
Summary: This article presents an erratum to a previously published work, making corrections that do not affect the original paper's results and conclusion.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yanhua Sha, Ze Tao Xie, Jiaye Wu, H. Y. Fu, Qian Li
Summary: An all-optical switch based on an asymmetric directional coupler structure with an epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) layer is proposed and investigated. The nonlinear optical properties of the ENZ layer are analyzed through the process of hot-electron dynamics, and the switch's performance on the silicon nitride platform is studied. It is found that the refractive index change in the ENZ layer induced by the pump leads to the transfer of signal light in the optical system. The proposed switch design exhibits low insertion loss, low crosstalk, and sub-pico-second response time, providing new possibilities for all-optical communication and signal processing.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Chenxingyu Huang, Siwei Peng, Xuanyi Liu, Jiaye Wu, Hongyan Fu, Lei Lu, Shengdong Zhang, Qian Li
Summary: Epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) indium tin oxide (ITO) nanofilms were fabricated by magnetron sputtering, and their ENZ properties were controlled through factors in the sputtering process such as gas ratio and annealing. The ENZ wavelength was blue-shifted by 609 nm and intrinsic loss was reduced by 63.2% after annealing, resulting in improved linear scattering properties and stronger field intensity enhancement. The proposed sputtering protocol offers a feasible technique to control the linear and nonlinear ENZ performance.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Optics
Siwei Peng, Xuanyi Liu, H. Y. Fu, Qian Li
Summary: We demonstrated a stable and low-noise all-polarization-maintaining ultrashort erbium-doped fiber laser that is mode-locked via nonlinear polarization evolution. The laser exhibits high-performance characteristics and is a prospective candidate for low-noise applications.
Article
Optics
Minghe Zhao, Xuanyi Liu, H. Y. Fu, Qian Li
Summary: This article presents an experimental investigation on a polarization-maintaining linear cavity fiber laser and its mode-locking formation using a machine-learning optimization method. The dynamics of intracavity evolution and pulse trapping are also explored.
