Nanophotonics and plasmonics articles within Nature Materials

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  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors demonstrate a programmable topological photonic chip with large-scale integration of silicon photonic nanocircuits and microresonators that can be rapidly reprogrammed to implement diverse multifunctionalities.

    • Tianxiang Dai
    • , Anqi Ma
    •  & Jianwei Wang

  • Article |

    Propagation losses have limited the practical use of polaritons in photonic applications. Here the authors demonstrate a substantial enhancement in the propagation distance of phonon polaritons, employing synthetic optical excitation of complex frequency with virtual gain synthesized by combining multiple real frequency measurements.

    • Fuxin Guan
    • , Xiangdong Guo
    •  & Shuang Zhang

  • Article |

    The authors combine laser excitation and scanning tunnelling spectroscopy to visualize the electron and hole distributions in photoexcited moiré excitons in twisted bilayer WS2. This photocurrent tunnelling microscopy approach enables the study of photoexcited non-equilibrium moiré phenomena at atomic scales.

    • Hongyuan Li
    • , Ziyu Xiang
    •  & Feng Wang

  • Research Briefing |

    Inspired by valley pseudospins in two-dimensional materials, high-quality-factor (high-Q) spin–valley states were created through the photonic Rashba-type spin splitting of a bound state in the continuum. This approach enabled the construction of a coherent and controllable spin-optical laser using monolayer-integrated spin–valley microcavities without requiring magnetic fields or cryogenic temperatures.

  • Article |

    The authors introduce a spin-optical laser based on a monolayer transition metal dichalcogenide coupled to a heterostructure microcavity supporting high-Q spin-valley resonances originating from photonic Rashba-type spin splitting of a bound state in the continuum.

    • Kexiu Rong
    • , Xiaoyang Duan
    •  & Erez Hasman

  • News & Views |

    Controlling the twist angles between three α-phase molybdenum trioxide single layers enables the programmable and reconfigurable canalization of phonon polaritons along multiple in-plane directions.

    • Siyuan Dai
    •  & Qiong Ma

  • Article |

    The direction of polariton canalization—its diffractionless propagation—in twisted bilayers at the magic angle is hindered by the lack of multiple magic angles. By controlling the twist angles between three α-MoO3 layers, reconfigurable and spectrally robust polariton canalization along any in-plane direction is demonstrated.

    • J. Duan
    • , G. Álvarez-Pérez
    •  & P. Alonso-González

  • News & Views |

    Above-bandgap, nanosecond laser pulses enable the localized in situ writing of spin defects in prefabricated nanophotonic cavities. The approach preserves defect and cavity mode properties, key requirements towards cavity–emitter coupling in quantum networks.

    • Sridhar Majety
    •  & Marina Radulaski

  • Letter
    | Open Access

    The authors report subatomic precision in measuring the displacement of a nanowire. Such precision is achieved by employing deep-learning enabled analysis of single-shot scattering of topologically structured superoscillatory illumination.

    • Tongjun Liu
    • , Cheng-Hung Chi
    •  & Nikolay I. Zheludev

  • Letter |

    Using direct laser writing with a nanosecond pulsed laser operating at above-bandgap photon energies, we demonstrate the selective formation of spin defects in photonic crystal cavities in 4H-silicon carbide and their in situ characterization.

    • Aaron M. Day
    • , Jonathan R. Dietz
    •  & Evelyn L. Hu

  • Letter |

    We report compact spin-valley-locked perovskite emitting metasurfaces where spin-dependent geometric phases are imparted into bound states in the continuum via Brillouin zone folding, simultaneously enabling chiral purity, directionality and large emission angles.

    • Yang Chen
    • , Jiangang Feng
    •  & Cheng-Wei Qiu

  • Letter |

    Employing an oxidation-activated charge transfer strategy to oxidize transition-metal dichalcogenides into transition-metal oxides, the authors imprint plasmonic cavities with laterally abrupt doping profiles and nanoscale precision demonstrating plasmonic whispering-gallery resonators.

    • Brian S. Y. Kim
    • , Aaron J. Sternbach
    •  & D. N. Basov

  • News & Views |

    By exploiting optical phase-modulation at complex surface plasmon polariton patterns, as well as energy-filtered imaging, femtosecond electron pulses are dynamically shaped in phase and amplitude.

    • Armin Feist

  • Article |

    On-demand electron wavefront shaping is desirable for applications from nanolithography to imaging. Here, the authors present tunable photon-induced spatial modulation of electrons through their interaction with externally controlled surface plasmon polaritons.

    • Shai Tsesses
    • , Raphael Dahan
    •  & Ido Kaminer

  • News & Views |

    Periodic nanostructures create brilliant colours, termed structural colouration, through light scattering and refraction. Now, using a simple and scalable method, stress- and strain-induced dynamic colour shifts are realized in stretchable polymers.

    • Daeyeon Won
    •  & Seung Hwan Ko

  • News & Views |

    Tamm plasmon thermal emitters can provide efficient infrared emission, but are limited by design complexity. Now, the inverse design of Tamm modes facilitated by CdO films on aperiodic dielectric reflectors enables emission with an on-demand spectrum.

    • Juerg Leuthold
    •  & Alexander Dorodnyy

  • Article |

    Stacked elastomeric arrays containing plasmonic nanoparticles show efficient chiral responses that can be fully controlled by mechanical compression and stack rotation. These simple layered materials may be useful modulators for photonic applications.

    • Patrick T. Probst
    • , Martin Mayer
    •  & Andreas Fery

  • News & Views |

    Bright hot plasmon emission is observed in graphene due to the ultrafast relaxation of hot carriers that were excited by femtosecond laser pulses of visible light.

    • Frank H. L. Koppens
    •  & Klaas-Jan Tielrooij

  • Article |

    Infrared nanoimaging of phonon polaritons in twisted α-phase molybdenum trioxide bilayers reveals tunable wavefront geometries and topological transitions over a broad range of twist angles, offering a configurable platform for nanophotonic applications.

    • Mingyuan Chen
    • , Xiao Lin
    •  & Siyuan Dai

  • Letter |

    The integration of barium titanate thin films with silicon-based waveguides enables the operation of efficient electro-optic switches and modulators at temperatures as low as 4 K, with potential applications in quantum computing and cryogenic computing technologies.

    • Felix Eltes
    • , Gerardo E. Villarreal-Garcia
    •  & Stefan Abel

  • Article |

    Vectorial electromagnetic modes in coupled metallic nanolasers are used to emulate the behaviour of complex magnetic materials, providing an integrated nanophotonic platform to study spin exchange interactions and map large-scale optimization problems.

    • Midya Parto
    • , William Hayenga
    •  & Mercedeh Khajavikhan

  • Letter |

    The ultrafast response of a pyroelectric sensor with near-infrared responsivity is demonstrated by combining a pyroelectric thermal detector with wavelength-selective nanoparticle absorbers.

    • Jon W. Stewart
    • , Jarrett H. Vella
    •  & Maiken H. Mikkelsen

  • Review Article |

    This Review covers the basic physics of thermal emission, ways to engineer the thermal field radiated by hot objects in the far field and applications, such as thermophotovoltaics, radiative cooling, camouflage and privacy.

    • Denis G. Baranov
    • , Yuzhe Xiao
    •  & Mikhail A. Kats

  • Perspective |

    This Perspective describes the recent advances in understanding and controlling the properties of single-wall carbon nanotubes as well as the progress towards the fabrication of new electrically driven single-photon sources.

    • X. He
    • , H. Htoon
    •  & C. Voisin

  • Letter |

    Isotopic enrichment in hexagonal boron nitride is shown to enhance the propagation properties of phonon polaritons, achieving a threefold enhancement in their lifetime.

    • Alexander J. Giles
    • , Siyuan Dai
    •  & Joshua D. Caldwell

  • Article |

    Designing fully tunable metamaterials for applications ranging from sensors to superlenses remains a challenge. A reversible electrotuneable liquid mirror based on voltage-controlled self-assembly/disassembly plasmonic nanoparticles is now reported.

    • Yunuen Montelongo
    • , Debabrata Sikdar
    •  & Alexei A. Kornyshev

  • News & Views |

    Plasmonic nanolasers embedded in living cells and animal tissues are shown to emit strongly, making them promising potential biocompatible probes.

    • Catherine Alix-Panabières
    •  & Klaus Pantel

  • Review Article |

    This Review discusses the properties of polariton modes (plasmon, phonon and exciton) in graphene, hexagonal boron nitride and transition metal dichalcogenides for applications across the terahertz to visible spectrum.

    • Tony Low
    • , Andrey Chaves
    •  & Frank Koppens

  • Letter |

    A device is presented that can detect mid-infrared plasmons in graphene encapsulated by hexagonal boron nitride via the thermoelectric effect; the natural decay product of the plasmons (electronic heat) is converted into a measurable voltage signal.

    • Mark B. Lundeberg
    • , Yuanda Gao
    •  & Frank H. L. Koppens

  • News & Views |

    A rewritable platform for subwavelength optical components is demonstrated by combining surface phonon–polaritons, sustained in a polar dielectric layer, with the switching functionality provided by a phase-change material.

    • Isabelle Staude
    •  & Carsten Rockstuhl

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