Research Briefing |
Featured
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Article
| Open Access
Single-step fabrication of liquid gallium nanoparticles via capillary interaction for dynamic structural colours
Exploiting capillary interactions of oligomers in polydimethylsiloxane and Ga allows single-step formation of closely spaced Ga nanodroplets in which gap plasmon resonances lead to mechanoresponsive structural colours, bypassing multiple chemical or lithographic steps.
- Renu Raman Sahu
- , Alwar Samy Ramasamy
- & Tapajyoti Das Gupta
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Article |
Valley-centre tandem perovskite light-emitting diodes
A hybrid valley-centre tandem optical structure that combines perovskites and organic light-emitting diodes is demonstrated to obtain an efficient emitting device, showing the commercial potential of perovskite displays.
- Hyeon-Dong Lee
- , Seung-Je Woo
- & Tae-Woo Lee
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Article |
Multichannel meta-imagers for accelerating machine vision
A metasurface-based approach is used to implement computationally expensive digital convolution operations in high-speed, low-power optics for improving the latency and power consumption of machine vision systems.
- Hanyu Zheng
- , Quan Liu
- & Jason G. Valentine
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News & Views |
Light routing by nanoscale nonlinear interferometry with attosecond control
Directionality of nonlinear emission from a dielectric metasurface is controlled by fine-tuning the relative time delay and polarization of two pulsed pump beams.
- Gustavo Grinblat
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Article |
All-optical free-space routing of upconverted light by metasurfaces via nonlinear interferometry
The interference between two frequency-degenerate upconversion processes enables a metasurface-based, all-optical routing by controlling the phase delay between pump beams.
- Agostino Di Francescantonio
- , Attilio Zilli
- & Michele Celebrano
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Article |
Adapted poling to break the nonlinear efficiency limit in nanophotonic lithium niobate waveguides
A major limiting factor for nonlinear efficiencies in lithium niobate waveguides, nanoscale thickness inhomogeneity, has been tackled using a fabrication approach called adapted poling.
- Pao-Kang Chen
- , Ian Briggs
- & Linran Fan
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Article |
Optical gain and lasing from bulk cadmium sulfide nanocrystals through bandgap renormalization
Solution-processable CdS ‘bulk’ nanocrystals show efficient on-chip lasing under quasi-continuous-wave conditions with excellent beam quality and pump thresholds.
- Ivo Tanghe
- , Margarita Samoli
- & Pieter Geiregat
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Article |
An integrated microwave-to-optics interface for scalable quantum computing
An integrated transducer based on a planar superconducting resonator coupled to a silicon photonic cavity through a mechanical oscillator made from lithium niobate achieves a transduction efficiency of 0.9%.
- Matthew J. Weaver
- , Pim Duivestein
- & Robert Stockill
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Article |
Hybrid electronic–photonic sensors on a fibre tip
By controlling the current and measuring the voltage via the fibre, a hybrid electronic–photonic sensor consisting of a p–i–n junction located on the fibre-tip junction can be used as an electrical sensor with optical readout.
- L. Picelli
- , P. J. van Veldhoven
- & A. Fiore
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Article
| Open Access
An all-in-one nanoprinting approach for the synthesis of a nanofilm library for unclonable anti-counterfeiting applications
A laser printing approach generates physical unclonable fluorescent patterns, made from simple sugar. These environmentally friendly and ultraviolet-stable materials can be applied as anti-counterfeiting labels.
- Junfang Zhang
- , Yuxin Liu
- & Felix F. Loeffler
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Article |
Leaky-wave metasurfaces for integrated photonics
Based on symmetry-breaking perturbations, leaky-wave metasurfaces with pointwise control of the amplitude, phase and polarization of surface emission offer a universal generalization of grating couplers for integrated photonics.
- Heqing Huang
- , Adam C. Overvig
- & Nanfang Yu
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Article |
Spin-dependent properties of optical modes guided by adiabatic trapping potentials in photonic Dirac metasurfaces
Photonic Dirac metasurfaces with smooth trapping potentials guide optical modes endowed with pseudo-spin. Such potentials give rise to different radiative properties of modes of opposite pseudo-spin.
- Svetlana Kiriushechkina
- , Anton Vakulenko
- & Alexander B. Khanikaev
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Article |
Hyperbolic whispering-gallery phonon polaritons in boron nitride nanotubes
A Purcell factor as high as 1012 is measured in atomically smooth nanocavities of hexagonal boron nitride nanotubes.
- Xiangdong Guo
- , Ning Li
- & Qing Dai
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Article |
Coloured vortex beams with incoherent white light illumination
Optical elements fabricated with a 3D printing technique generate beams carrying orbital angular momentum under incoherent white light illumination.
- Hongtao Wang
- , Hao Wang
- & Joel K. W. Yang
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Article |
Versatile full-colour nanopainting enabled by a pixelated plasmonic metasurface
A plasmonic metasurface for full-colour nanopainting simultaneously achieves a chiaroscuro presentation, wide-gamut palette, high saturation and dynamic colour tunability.
- Maowen Song
- , Lei Feng
- & Ting Xu
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Article |
Scalable all-optical cold damping of levitated nanoparticles
Optical traps equipped with a feedback system allow simultaneously cooling the motion of two particles.
- Jayadev Vijayan
- , Zhao Zhang
- & Lukas Novotny
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Research Briefing |
Using quantum dots to produce a CMOS terahertz camera and polarimeter
Quantum dots can convert terahertz photons into visible light. This mechanism is used to develop a semiconductor-based room-temperature terahertz camera that can simultaneously record the field strength and polarization states of a terahertz beam. The proposed detector has fast speeds and can be manufactured at the wafer-scale.
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Article |
A room-temperature polarization-sensitive CMOS terahertz camera based on quantum-dot-enhanced terahertz-to-visible photon upconversion
A terahertz camera based on an upconversion mechanism to the visible range can image both THz polarization state and field strength.
- Jiaojian Shi
- , Daehan Yoo
- & Keith A. Nelson
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Letter |
Near-unity Raman β-factor of surface-enhanced Raman scattering in a waveguide
Raman scattering within plasmonic waveguides is found to be directed into a single mode with near-unity efficiency, offering a route to broadband SERS enhancements over extended sensing volumes.
- Ming Fu
- , Mónica P. dS. P. Mota
- & Rupert F. Oulton
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Article
| Open Access
Nano-optical designs for high-efficiency monolithic perovskite–silicon tandem solar cells
Designing gentle sinusoidal nanotextures enables the realization of high-efficiency perovskite–silicon solar cells
- Philipp Tockhorn
- , Johannes Sutter
- & Christiane Becker
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Research Briefing |
Developing nanophotonic structures that are stable in air and at high temperatures
A concept to mitigate temperature-related degradation in nanophotonic materials is implemented in photonic crystals of perovskite and rocksalt oxides. The developed structures can withstand temperatures of 1,100 °C in air and offer wavelength-selective control of thermal emission. Additionally, an algorithm is used to identify alternative material candidates for such structures.
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News & Views |
Merging metasurfaces with microfluidics
By using microfluidics to control the refractive index of the fluid surrounding dielectric metasurfaces, the optical response and functionality of metasurface devices can be tuned on-demand to enable comprehensive control of the flow of light.
- Justus C. Ndukaife
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Article |
Metasurface optofluidics for dynamic control of light fields
A metasurface optofluidic platform enables dynamic intensity and spectral control of light fields.
- Qitong Li
- , Jorik van de Groep
- & Mark L. Brongersma
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Article |
Nanophotonic control of thermal emission under extreme temperatures in air
An epitaxial heterostructure of a perovskite and rocksalt is stable up to 1,100 °C in air. Based on mechanistic and computational analyses, hundreds of potential cubic oxide pairs with similar properties are identified for applications in nanophotonics.
- Sean McSherry
- , Matthew Webb
- & Andrej Lenert
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News & Views |
Graphene unlocks dispersion of topological polaritons
Heterostructure of graphene and biaxial van der Waals crystal supports a species of plasmon-phonon-polaritons whose isofrequency dispersion contour can be manipulated while experiencing a topological transition.
- Sergey G. Menabde
- & Min Seok Jang
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News & Views |
Quantum dot patterning by direct photolithography
A ‘dual-ligand passivation system’ is designed and synthesized to functionalize colloidal quantum dots to realize ultra-high resolution patterns by direct photolithography.
- Junpeng Fan
- & Lei Qian
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Article |
Magnetically tunable and stable deep-ultraviolet birefringent optics using two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride
A 2D material based liquid-crystal shows an extremely large optical anisotropy factor in the deep ultraviolet region, showing magnetically tunable birefringence.
- Hao Xu
- , Baofu Ding
- & Bilu Liu
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Comment |
Industry outlook of perovskite quantum dots for display applications
Perovskite quantum dots have been proven promising for photonic and optoelectronic applications, particularly, as bright and narrow band emitters for display technology. Despite the advantageous properties, the stability issues have to be resolved to unleash the full industrial potential of perovskite quantum dots in display technology.
- Xian-gang Wu
- , Honglei Ji
- & Haizheng Zhong
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Article |
Ultra-low-energy programmable non-volatile silicon photonics based on phase-change materials with graphene heaters
A non-volatile silicon photonics switch based on phase-change materials actuated by graphene heaters shows a switching energy density that is within an order of magnitude of the fundamental thermodynamic limit.
- Zhuoran Fang
- , Rui Chen
- & Arka Majumdar
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Article |
A wavelength-induced frequency filtering method for fluorescent nanosensors in vivo
An optical technique is developed that extends the capabilities of fluorescent nanosensors into previously inaccessible ultradeep in vivo locations, including the brain, without the use of fibre optic or cranial window insertion.
- Volodymyr B. Koman
- , Naveed A. Bakh
- & Michael S. Strano
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Article |
In vivo non-invasive confocal fluorescence imaging beyond 1,700 nm using superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors
Biocompatible core–shell quantum dots and superconducting nanowire single-photon detector enable non-invasive one-photon excitation fluorescence imaging at 1,880 nm for in vivo imaging at 1,100 μm depth.
- Feifei Wang
- , Fuqiang Ren
- & Hongjie Dai
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Article |
Migrating photon avalanche in different emitters at the nanoscale enables 46th-order optical nonlinearity
A general mechanism, migrating photon avalanche, can generate large optical nonlinearity from various lanthanides emitters at the nanoscale.
- Yusen Liang
- , Zhimin Zhu
- & Qiuqiang Zhan
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Review Article |
Advances and applications of nanophotonic biosensors
This Review discusses the progresses in label-free nanophotonic biosensors based on photonic or dielectric surfaces and metasurfaces and highlights the challenges and benefits of their applications in the fields of public health, well-being and biosafety.
- Hatice Altug
- , Sang-Hyun Oh
- & Jiří Homola
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Article |
Light–matter coupling in large-area van der Waals superlattices
Square-centimetre scale, multilayer superlattice structures based on atomically thin two-dimensional chalcogenide monolayers enable the realization of excitonic metamaterials.
- Pawan Kumar
- , Jason Lynch
- & Deep Jariwala
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Article |
Nano-optogenetic engineering of CAR T cells for precision immunotherapy with enhanced safety
While chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell-based therapy has been approved for clinical use for certain types of blood cancers, it remains difficult to achieve precise spatiotemporal control of the elicited anti-tumour response. Here, the authors propose light-switchable CAR T cells that can be remotely activated by a nano-optogenetic approach, reducing unwanted side effects.
- Nhung Thi Nguyen
- , Kai Huang
- & Yubin Zhou
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Article |
Energy-resolved plasmonic chemistry in individual nanoreactors
The effective absorption spectrum of metal-bound molecules and a rich plasmon-driven chemistry landscape are constructed by monitoring the interfacial environment of a thousand single nanocavities with slightly varied resonance energies.
- Eitan Oksenberg
- , Ilan Shlesinger
- & Erik C. Garnett
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Article |
Non-local metasurfaces for spectrally decoupled wavefront manipulation and eye tracking
High optical-quality-factor, non-local metasurfaces enable independent functions across different wavelength bands.
- Jung-Hwan Song
- , Jorik van de Groep
- & Mark L. Brongersma
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Letter |
Microscopic metavehicles powered and steered by embedded optical metasurfaces
Optomechanical effects enable the realization of optical metavehicles that can be manoeuvred across a surface in plane-wave illumination and steered by incident polarization.
- Daniel Andrén
- , Denis G. Baranov
- & Mikael Käll
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Article |
X-ray-activated persistent luminescence nanomaterials for NIR-II imaging
Persistent luminescence is a promising bioimaging technique that is not affected by background autofluorescence, but its in vivo application is challenged by the fact that the materials currently available are activated by high-energy light, with emission in the ultraviolet and visible spectral windows. In this paper the authors engineer X-ray activated, lanthanide-based nanoparticles with a tunable emission in the biologically relevant NIR-II spectral region, which allows high-contrast, multimodal in vivo deep-tissue organ imaging.
- Peng Pei
- , Ying Chen
- & Fan Zhang
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Review Article |
Nanophotonics for light detection and ranging technology
This Review highlights the technological challenges linked to the application of nanophotonics for light detection and ranging (LiDAR).
- Inki Kim
- , Renato Juliano Martins
- & Junsuk Rho
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News & Views |
Tunable phase-change metasurfaces
The use of phase-change materials makes metasurfaces and nanoantennas electrically tunable and switchable, bringing their functionality to the next level.
- Sergey Lepeshov
- & Alex Krasnok
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Article |
Electrically reconfigurable non-volatile metasurface using low-loss optical phase-change material
An electrically reconfigurable optical metasurface using a Ge2Sb2Se4Te phase change material shows half an octave spectral tuning and promising performances for optical beam steering applications.
- Yifei Zhang
- , Clayton Fowler
- & Juejun Hu
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Article |
Electrical tuning of phase-change antennas and metasurfaces
A metasurface comprising electrically controlled heating units and a phase-change material offer non-volatile and reversible modulation of reflectance by more than fourfold.
- Yifei Wang
- , Patrick Landreman
- & Mark L. Brongersma
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News & Views |
Photothermal twistronics
Near-field optical microscopy reveals unique nanoscale domain structures of Moiré patterns in minimally twisted bilayer graphene via the photothermoelectric effect.
- Alexey Y. Nikitin
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Article |
Fano-resonant ultrathin film optical coatings
A thin-film optical coating exhibits Fano resonance showing promising applications in structural colouring of transparent objects and hybrid thermal and photovoltaic power generation.
- Mohamed ElKabbash
- , Theodore Letsou
- & Chunlei Guo
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Letter |
Inducing micromechanical motion by optical excitation of a single quantum dot
Hybrid quantum optomechanical systems interface a single two-level system with a macroscopic mechanical degree of freedom. In a microwire with a single embedded semiconductor quantum dot, not only can the wire vibration modulate the excitonic transition energy, but the optical drive of the quantum dot can also induce motion in the wire.
- Jan Kettler
- , Nitika Vaish
- & Jean-Philippe Poizat
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Article |
Giant enhancement of third-harmonic generation in graphene–metal heterostructures
Graphene–insulator–metal heterostructures show three orders of magnitude enhancement of the third-harmonic generation with respect to the bare graphene case.
- Irati Alonso Calafell
- , Lee A. Rozema
- & Philip Walther
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News & Views |
Off balance and over the edge
Ultrafast spectroscopy measurements present a new direct non-equilibrium energy transfer mechanism across a metal–semiconductor interface, without charge transfer, opening up a new avenue for plasmonic energy conversion.
- Christopher J. Ciccarino
- & Prineha Narang
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Article |
Dirac-vortex topological cavities
Surface emission from a topological mid-gap cavity shows large free spectral range and arbitrary mode degeneracy.
- Xiaomei Gao
- , Lechen Yang
- & Ling Lu
Fabrication of mechanochromic gallium nanostructures by capillary interactions