Tunable topological edge state in plasma photonic crystals

In this study, we found a kind of edge state located at the interface between plasma photonic crystals(PPCs) and traditional photonic crystals, which depends on the property of the photonic band gap rather than the surface defect. Simulation and theoretical analysis show that by adjusting the plasma density, we can change the topological characteristics of the photonic band gap of PPCs. This makes it different from the photonic band gap of traditional PCs, and thus excites or closes the topological edge states. We further discussed the influence of plasma parameters on edge state characteristics, and the results showed that as the plasma density increased, the first photonic band gap(PBG) of the PPCs closed and then reopened, resulting in band inversion and a change in the PBG properties of the PPCs. We can control the generation of edge states through plasma and adjust the frequency and strength of the edge states. After the appearance of edge states, as the plasma density further increases, the first PBG of the PPCs will shift towards high frequencies and deepen. The frequency of edge states will shift towards higher frequencies, and their strength will also increase. We increased the first PBG depth of the PPCs by increasing the number of arrays and found that when the number of the PPCs arrays increased, only the intensity of the edge states would increase while the frequency remained unchanged. Therefore, flexible adjustment of edge state frequency and intensity can be achieved through plasma density and array quantity parameters. Our study demonstrates the properties of topological edge states in plasma photonic crystals, which we believe can provide some guidance for applications based on edge states.

High-efficiency ultra-fast all-optical photonic crystal diode based on the lateral-coupled nonlinear elliptical defect

An all-optical Fano-like diode featuring a nonlinear lateral elliptical micro-cavity and a reflecting column in the photonic crystal waveguide is proposed.The asymmetric micro-cavity is constructed by removing one rod and changing the shape of the lateral rod from a circle to an ellipse.A reflecting pillar is also introduced into the waveguide to construct an F-P cavity with the elliptical defect and enhance the asymmetric transmission for the incident light wave transmitting rightwards and leftwards,respectively.By designing the size of the ellipse and optimizing a reflecting rod at a suitable position,a maximum forward light transmittance of-1.14 dB and a minimum backward transmittance of-57.66 dB are achieved at the working wavelength of 1550.47 nm.The corresponding response time is about 10 ps when the intensity of the pump light beam resonant at 637 nm is 3.97 W/μm2.

Topological slow light and rainbow trapping of surface wave in valley photonic crystal bounded by air

Topological slow light and rainbow trapping tend to rely on large-scale interface structure in previous research work,which have restricted further miniaturization.In this work,we propose a method to realize slow light and rainbow trapping at the zigzag edge of a single valley photonic crystals(VPCs)bounded by air,which is very different from previous studies where rainbow trapping is supported at the interface separating two VPCs with inversion symmetry.By constructing the VPC–air boundaries and VPC–VPC interfaces experimentally,we have observed the topologically protected rainbow trapping simultaneously at the external and internal boundary.This work provides a feasible platform for the miniaturized optical communication devices such as optical buffers,optical storage and optical routing.

Mode coupling with Fabry-Perot modes in photonic crystal slabs

Fabry–Perot(FP)modes are a class of fundamental resonances in photonic crystal(PhC)slabs.Owing to their low quality factors,FP modes are frequently considered as background fields with their resonance nature being neglected.Nevertheless,FP modes can play important roles in some phenomena,as exemplified by their coupling with guided resonance(GR)modes to achieve bound states in the continuum(BIC).Here,we further demonstrate the genuine resonance mode capability of FP modes PhC slabs.Firstly,we utilize temporal coupled-mode theory to obtain the transmittance of a PhC slab based on the FP modes.Secondly,we construct exceptional points(EPs)in both momentum and parameter spaces through the coupling of FP and GR modes.Furthermore,we identify a Fermi arc connecting two EPs and discuss the far-field polarization topology.This work elucidates that the widespread FPs in PhC slabs can serve as genuine resonant modes,facilitating the realization of desired functionalities through mode coupling.

Reconfigurable(4, 6^(2)) and(4, 8^(2)) Archimedean plasma photonic crystals in dielectric barrier discharge

Archimedean photonic crystal has become a research area of great interest due to its various unique properties. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the realization of reconfigurable(4, 6^(2))and(4, 8^(2)) Archimedean plasma photonic crystals(APPCs) by use of dielectric barrier discharges in air. Dynamical control on both the macrostructures including the lattice symmetry and the crystal orientation, and the microstructures including the fine structures of scattering elements has been achieved. The formation mechanisms of APPCs are studied by time-resolved measurements together with numerical simulations. Large omnidirectional band gaps of APPCs have been obtained. The tunable topology of APPCs may offer new opportunities for fabricating multi-functional and highly-integrated microwave devices.

Topological edge and corner states of valley photonic crystals with zipper-like boundary conditions

We present a stable valley photonic crystal(VPC)unit cell with C_(3v)symmetric quasi-ring-shaped dielectric columns and realize its topological phase transition by breaking mirror symmetry.Based on this unit cell structure,topological edge states(TESs)and topological corner states(TCSs)are realized.We obtain a new type of wave transmission mode based on photonic crystal zipper-like boundaries and apply it to a beam splitter assembled from rectangular photonic crystals(PCs).The constructed beam splitter structure is compact and possesses frequency separation functions.In addition,we construct a box-shaped triangular PC structures with zipper-like boundaries and discover phenomena of TCSs in the corners,comparing its corner states with those formed by other boundaries.Based on this,we explore the regularities of the electric field patterns of TESs and TCSs,explain the connection between the characteristic frequencies and locality of TCSs,which helps better control photons and ensures low power consumption of the system.

Investigation on photonic crystal nanobeam cavity based on mixed diamond–circular holes

A photonic crystal nanobeam cavity(M-PCNC)with a structure incorporating a mixture of diamond-shaped and circular air holes is pro-posed.The performance of the cavity is simulated and studied theoretically.Using thefinite-difference time-domain method,the parameters of the M-PCNC,including cavity thickness and width,lattice constant,and radii and numbers of holes,are optimized,with the quality factor Q and mode volume Vm as performance indicators.Mutual modulation of the lattice constant and hole radius enable the proposed M-PCNC to realize outstanding performance.The optimized cavity possesses a high quality factor Q 1.45105 and an ultra-small mode=×volume Vm 0.01(λ/n)[Zeng et al.,Opt Lett 2023:48;3981–3984]in the telecommunications wavelength range.Light can be progres-=sively squeezed in both the propagation direction and the perpendicular in-plane direction by a series of interlocked anti-slots and slots in the diamond-shaped hole structure.Thereby,the energy can be confined within a small mode volume to achieve an ultra-high Q/Vm ratio.

Research Progress in Preparation and Application of Photonic Crystals

Photonic crystals are periodic structural materials that have an impact on the propagation properties of photons.Due to their excellent optical,electrical and magnetic properties,their advantages and potential for applications in the above areas are gradually emerging.Therefore,an increasing number of researchers have focused on photonic crystals.In this paper,the characteristics of biological photonic crystal structures,such as those found in butterfly wings,sea mouse bristles,peacock feathers,melon jellyfish epidermal cells,and weevil exoskeletons,are described.The preparation methods of photonic crystals are systematically summarized(including the template method,self-assembly technology,electron beam evaporation coating technology,chemical vapor deposition technology,femtosecond laser two-photon technology,spin coating technology,and a variety of technology mixing),and the characteristics,advantages,and disadvantages of the different methods are compared.Furthermore,the development of photonic crystals in the field of sensors,solar cells,filters,and infrared stealth is discussed,demonstrateing the great development potential of photonic crystals.It is concluded that the realization of photonic crystals with high precision,high sensitivity,angle independence,and large-area uniform preparation is a key problem requiring urgent solution.Moreover,photonic crystals have potential development prospects in the fields of equipment stealth,new concept weapons,production,an daily life.

High-performance chiral all-optical OR logic gate based on topological edge states of valley photonic crystal

For all-optical communication and information processing,it is necessary to develop all-optical logic gates based on photonic structures that can directly perform logic operations.All-optical logic gates have been demonstrated based on conventional waveguides and interferometry,as well as photonic crystal structures.Nonetheless,any defects in those structures will introduce high scattering loss,which compromises the fidelity and contrast ratio of the information process.Based on the spin-valley locking effect that can achieve defect-immune unidirectional transmission of topological edge states in valley photonic crystals(VPCs),we propose a high-performance all-optical logic OR gate based on a VPC structure.By tuning the working bandwidth of the two input channels,we prevent interference between the two channels to achieve a stable and high-fidelity output.The transmittance of both channels is higher than 0.8,and a high contrast ratio of 28.8 dB is achieved.Moreover,the chirality of the logic gate originated from the spin-valley locking effect allows using different circularly polarized light as inputs,representing“1”or“0”,which is highly desired in quantum computing.The device’s footprint is 18μm×12μm,allowing high-density on-chip integration.In addition,this design can be experimentally fabricated using current nanofabrication techniques and will have potential applications in optical communication,information processing,and quantum computing.

Compact generation scheme of path–frequency hyperentangled photons using 2D periodical nonlinear photonic crystal

Hyperentanglement is a promising resource for achieving high capacity quantum communication.Here,we propose a compact scheme for the generation of path-frequency hyperentangled photon pairs via spontaneous parametric down-conversion(SPDC)processes,where six different paths and two different frequencies are covered.A two-dimensional periodicalχ^((2))nonlinear photonic crystal(NPC)is designed to satisfy type-Ⅰquasi-phase-matching conditions in the plane perpendicular to the incident pump beam,and a perfect phase match is achieved along the pump beam's direction to ensure high conversion efficiency,with theoretically estimated photon flux up to 2.068×10^(5) pairs·s^(-1)·mm^(-2).We theoretically calculate the joint-spectral amplitude(JSA)of the generated photon pair and perform Schmidt decomposition on it,where the resulting entropy S of entanglement and effective Schmidt rank K reach 3.2789 and 6.4675,respectively.Our hyperentangled photon source scheme could provide new avenues for high-dimensional quantum communication and high-speed quantum information processing.

A 3–5μm broadband YBCO high-temperature superconducting photonic crystal

Photonic crystal structures have excellent optical properties,so they are widely studied in conventional optical materials.Recent research shows that high-temperature superconducting periodic structures have natural photonic crystal features and they are favourable candidates for single-photon detection.Considering that superconductors have completely different properties from conventional optical materials,we study the energy level diagram and mid-infrared 3μm–5μm transmission spectrum of two-dimensional superconducting photonic crystals in both superconducting and quenched states with the finite element method.The energy level diagram of the circular crystal column superconducting structure shows that the structure has a large band gap width in both states.At the same fill factor,the circular crystal column superconducting structure has a larger band gap width than the others structures.For lattice structures,the zero transmission point of the square lattice structure is robust to the incident angle and environmental temperature.Our research has guiding significance for the design of new material photonic crystals,photon modulation and detection.

Spontaneous emission fromΛ-type three-level atom driven by bichromatic field in anisotropic double-band photonic crystals

The spontaneous emission property ofΛ-type three-level atom driven by the bichromatic field in the anisotropic double-band photonic crystal is calculated by n-times iteration method.The influence of different parameters on atomic spontaneous emission is studied,and the phenomena of atomic spontaneous emission are explained in the dressed state representation.It is found that the spontaneous emission spectra of the atom driven by the bichromatic field presents a multi-peak comb structure.The position of the emission peak is determined by the initial state of the atom,and the interval between the neighboring emission peaks is the detuningδof the bichromatic field.When the ratio between Rabi frequency intensity and the detuningδof the bichromatic field remains unchanged,the intensity of each emitted peak remains invariant.The spontaneously emitted peak can be annihilated in the band gap and enhanced near the band edge in the anisotropic photonic crystals.Meanwhile,we also observe the fluorescence quenching phenomenon in the spontaneous emission spectra.The research in this paper provides the theoretical guidance for the control of atomic spontaneous emission.

Valley-dependent topological edge states in plasma photonic crystals

Plasma photonic crystals designed in this paper are composed of gas discharge tubes to control the flow of electromagnetic waves.The band structures calculated by the finite element method are consistent with the experimental results which have two distinct attenuation peaks in the ranges of 1-2.5 GHz and 5-6 GHz.Electromagnetic parameters of the plasma are extracted by the Nicolson-Ross-Weir method and effective medium theory.The measured electron density is between 1×1011 cm-3 and1×1012 cm-3,which verifies the correctness of the parameter used in the simulation,and the collision frequency is near 1.5×1010 Hz.As the band structures are corroborated by the measured scattering parameters,we introduce the concept of photonic topological insulator based on the quantum Valley Hall effect into the plasma photonic crystal.A valley-dependent plasma photonic crystal with hexagonal lattice is constructed,and the phase transition of the valley K(K’)occurs by breaking the spatial inversion symmetry.Valley-spin locked topological edge states are generated and excited by chiral sources.The frequency of the non-bulk state can be dynamically regulated by the electron density.This concept paves the way for novel,tunable topological edge states.More interestingly,the Dirac cone is broken when the electron density increases to 3.1×1012 cm-3,which distinguishes from the methods of applying a magnetic field and changing the symmetry of the point group.

Controllable and tunable plasma photonic crystals through a combination of photonic crystal and dielectric barrier discharge patterns

We report five types of patterns with square symmetry,including three novel types obtained by inserting a specially designed grid photonic crystal(PC)into a dielectric barrier discharge system.They are studied using an intensified charge-coupled device camera and photomultiplier tubes.The three novel types of patterns are a square pattern with one structure,a square superlattice pattern with four sublattices and a(1/4)K_(grid)(K_(grid)is the basic wave vector of the grid),and another square pattern with a complex inversion discharge sequence.From the application viewpoint,the five types of patterns can be used as plasma photonic crystals(PPCs).Their band diagrams under a transverse-magnetic wave simulated by the finite element method show that there are a large number of band gaps.Compared with the original PC with only a unidirectional band gap,the five types of PPCs have tunable and omnidirectional band gaps,which is very important in controlling the propagation of electromagnetic waves in the mm-wave region.The experimental results enrich the pattern types in the dielectric barrier discharge system and provide a method for obtaining PPCs with symmetry controllability and bandgap tunability.

Design of a photonic crystal fiber polarization beam splitter with simple structure and ultra-wide bandwidth

A novel polarization beam splitter(PBS)based on dual-core photonic crystal fiber(DC-PCF)is proposed in this work.The proposed DC-PCF PBS contains two kinds of lattices and three kinds of air holes to form the asymmetrical elliptic dual-core structure.By using the full-vector finite element method,the propagation characteristics of the proposed DC-PCF PBS are investigated.The simulation results show that the bandwidth of the proposed DC-PCF PBS can reach to 340 nm,which covers the S+C+L+U communication bands,the shortest splitting length is 1.97 mm,and the maximum extinction ratio appears near wavelength 1550 nm.Moreover,the insertion loss of the proposed DC-PCF PBS is very low.It is believed that the proposed DC-PCF PBS has important applications in the field of all-optical communication and network.

Multi-band polarization switch based on magnetic fluid filled dual-core photonic crystal fiber

The research of high-performance polarization controllers is of great significance for expanding the application field of polarization optics. Here, a polarization switch is demonstrated by using a dual-core photonic crystal fiber(DCPCF)with four symmetrical air holes, placed above and below each core, filled with magnetic fluid(MF). The switch, which utilizes a magnetic field to change the coupling length ratio of the x and y polarization modes, enables dynamic tuning of the polarization state and extinction ratio. Numerical results show that when the working length is 36.638 mm, the magneto–optical polarization switch can operate in four communication bands, i.e., 1509 nm to 1520 nm, 1544 nm to1556 nm, 1578 nm to 1591 nm, and 1611 nm to 1624 nm. Moreover, the extinction ratio(ER) is greater than 20 d B in the fiber length range of 38.5 mm to 38.7 mm, indicating that the device has a good fault tolerance for the interception of the fiber length.

Topological resonators based on hexagonal-star valley photonic crystals

In valley photonic crystals, topological edge states can be gained by breaking the spatial inversion symmetry without breaking time-reversal symmetry or creating pseudo-spin structures, making highly unidirectional light transmission easy to achieve. This paper presents a novel physical model of a hexagonal-star valley photonic crystal. Simulations based on the finite element method(FEM) are performed to investigate the propagation of TM polarized mode and its application to ring resonators. The results show that such a topologically triangular ring resonator exhibits an optimum quality factor Q of about 1.25×104, and Q has a maximum value for both frequency and the cavity length L. Our findings are expected to have significant implications for developing topological lasers and wavelength division multiplexers.

Tailoring topological corner states in photonic crystals by near-and far-field coupling effects

We explore the behaviors of optically coupled topological corner states in supercell arrays composed of photonic crystal rods,where each supercell is a second-order topological insulator.Our findings indicate that the coupled corner states possess nondegenerate eigenfrequencies at theΓpoint,with coupled dipole corner states excited resonantly by incident plane waves and displaying a polarization-independent characteristic.The resonance properties of coupled dipole corner states can be effectively modulated via evanescently near-field coupling,while multipole decomposition shows that they are primarily dominated by electric quadrupole moment and magnetic dipole moment.Furthermore,we demonstrate that these coupled corner states can form surface lattice resonances driven by diffractively far-field coupling,leading to a dramatic increase in the quality factor.This work introduces more optical approaches to tailoring photonic topological states,and holds potential applications in mid-infrared topological micro-nano devices.

Nonreciprocal wide-angle bidirectional absorber based on one-dimensional magnetized gyromagnetic photonic crystals

We propose magnetized gyromagnetic photonic crystals(MGPCs)composed of indium antimonide(InSb)and yttrium iron garnet ferrite(YIGF)layers,which possess the properties of nonreciprocal wide-angle bidirectional absorption.Periodical defects in the MGPCs work as filters.Absorption bands(ABs)for the positive and negative propagations arise from the optical Tamm state and resonance in cavities respectively,and they prove to share no overlaps in the studied frequency range.Givenω=2.0138 THz,for the positive propagation,the ABs in the high-frequency range are localized in the interval between 0.66ωand 0.88ω.In the angular range,the ABs for the TE and TM waves reach 60°and 51°,separately.For the negative propagation,the ABs in the low-frequency range are localized in the interval between 0.13ωand 0.3ω.The AB s extend to 60°for the TE waves and 80.4°for the TM waves.There also exists a narrow frequency band in a lower frequency range.The relevant factors,which include the external temperature,the magnetic fields applied to the YIGF,the refractive index of the impedance matching layer,and the defect thickness,are adjusted to investigate the effects on the ABs.All the numerical simulations are based on the transfer matrix method.This work provides an approach to designs of isolators and so on.

Angular insensitive nonreciprocal ultrawide band absorption in plasma-embedded photonic crystals designed with improved particle swarm optimization algorithm

Using an improved particle swarm optimization algorithm(IPSO)to drive a transfer matrix method,a nonreciprocal absorber with an ultrawide absorption bandwidth and angular insensitivity is realized in plasma-embedded photonic crystals arranged in a structure composed of periodic and quasi-periodic sequences on a normalized scale.The effective dielectric function,which determines the absorption of the plasma,is subject to the basic parameters of the plasma,causing the absorption of the proposed absorber to be easily modulated by these parameters.Compared with other quasi-periodic sequences,the Octonacci sequence is superior both in relative bandwidth and absolute bandwidth.Under further optimization using IPSO with 14 parameters set to be optimized,the absorption characteristics of the proposed structure with different numbers of layers of the smallest structure unit N are shown and discussed.IPSO is also used to address angular insensitive nonreciprocal ultrawide bandwidth absorption,and the optimized result shows excellent unidirectional absorbability and angular insensitivity of the proposed structure.The impacts of the sequence number of quasi-periodic sequence M and collision frequency of plasma1ν1 to absorption in the angle domain and frequency domain are investigated.Additionally,the impedance match theory and the interference field theory are introduced to express the findings of the algorithm.