Single-photon level ultrafast all-optical switching

Han, Xiaoyan; Weng, Yuxiang; Wang, Rui; Chen, Xi-Hao; Luo, Kai‐Hong; Wu, Ling‐An; Zhao, Jimin

doi:10.1063/1.2909540

Cited by 36 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Hence to make an all-optical switch with full contrast ratio, I weak :I strong = 1:60. This is characteristic of weak-control-strong all-optical switching, which is apparently cascade possible (27,28).…”

Section: Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The detector can be made to detect the whole rings. Thus, a weaker beam can switch on and off a stronger beam (27,28). Quantitatively taking the intensity of the signal beam (strong beam) at 473 nm to be I strong = 120 W/cm 2 , the intensity of the control beam (weak beam) at 532 nm needs only to be I weak = 2.0 W/cm 2 to change the phase of the strong beam by π (i.e., ΔN = 0.5, Fig.…”

Section: Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Emergence of electron coherence and two-color all-optical switching in MoS ₂ based on spatial self-phase modulation

Sun

et al. 2015

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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148

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Generating electron coherence in quantum materials is essential in optimal control of many-body interactions and correlations. In a multidomain system this signifies nonlocal coherence and emergence of collective phenomena, particularly in layered 2D quantum materials possessing novel electronic structures and high carrier mobilities. Here we report nonlocal ac electron coherence induced in dispersed MoS 2 flake domains, using coherent spatial self-phase modulation (SSPM). The gap-dependent nonlinear dielectric susceptibility χ (3) measured is surprisingly large, where direct interband transition and two-photon SSPM are responsible for excitations above and below the bandgap, respectively. A windchime model is proposed to account for the emergence of the ac electron coherence. Furthermore, all-optical switching is achieved based on SSPM, especially with two-color intraband coherence, demonstrating that electron coherence generation is a ubiquitous property of layered quantum materials.electron coherence | transition metal dichalcogenide | self-phase modulation | optical switching | emergent phenomena R ecently 2D layered quantum materials have attracted tremendous interest since the discovery of graphene a decade ago (1). Various layered materials, ranging from boron nitride sheets to transition metal dichalcogenides and from topological insulators to high-temperature superconductors, have been intensively investigated (2-11). Strict 2D atomic crystals can now be produced at a macroscopic scale, using a variety of methods (11,12). Among them molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) and related layered quantum materials are particularly interesting due to their novel optical properties and potential valleytronics applications (4,5,8,9) at a thickness of monolayer and few layers (2, 10, 13). Layered materials share common physical properties rooted in their ubiquitous 2D quantum nature, for which achieving pure coherence among electrons (lattices) is of particular interest (14-19). The presence of multiple domains is ubiquitous in many known 2D quantum materials, ranging from stripe-order cuprate superconductors to polycrystalline strongly correlated systems. For example, phase locking between different layers of stripe orders is crucial for enhancing the superconducting phase in layered hightemperature superconductors (20,21).In this work we demonstrate unambiguously that nonlocal and intraband ac electron coherence, of which the electronic wave function oscillates at an optical frequency of 10 14 Hz, can be generated in separate MoS 2 flakes, using spatial self-phase modulation (SSPM). The SSPM is a coherent third-order nonlinear optical process systematically investigated decades ago (22), where the nonlinear optical susceptibility χ (3) is uniquely determined by the laser-intensity-dependent refractive index n = n 0 + n 2 I, where n 0 and n 2 are linear and nonlinear refractive indexes, respectively. If this effect is strong enough in a material, the phenomenon of selffocusing can be directly observed. The SSPM is also f...

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Section: Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

Emergence of electron coherence and two-color all-optical switching in MoS ₂ based on spatial self-phase modulation

Sun

et al. 2015

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

Self Cite

148

207

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show abstract

“…Two specific results highlight this technique which shows promise for ultra-fast alloptical switching. First, using three-wave mixing OPA in a beta-barium borate crystal, Han et al [22] demonstrate a cascadable all-optical switch that can be actuated by a field with an average of 0.75 photons. This switch operates in the ultrafast regime and can be actuated in 400 fs.…”

Section: Previous Research On Low-light-level Switchingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transverse optical patterns for ultra‐low‐light‐level all‐optical switching

Dawes

Gauthier

Schumacher

et al. 2010

Laser & Photonics Reviews

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We review recent theoretical and experimental efforts toward developing an all-optical switch based on transverse optical patterns. Transverse optical patterns are formed when counterpropagating laser beams interact with a nonlinear medium. A perturbation, in the form of a weak switch beam injected into the nonlinear medium, controls the orientation of the generated patterns. Each state of the pattern orientation is associated with a state of the switch. That is, information is stored in the orientation state. A realization of this switch using a warm rubidium vapor shows that it can be actuated by as few as 600 ¦40 photons with a response time of 5 µs. Models of nonlinear optical interactions in semiconductor quantum wells and microresonators suggest these systems are also suitable for use as fast all-optical switches using this same conceptual design, albeit at higher switching powers.A pair of counterpropagating beams induce an instability that generates transverse optical patterns. (A) Two spots form the unperturbed far-field pattern. (B) A weak beam incident at an angle to the pump beam axis causes the generated pattern to rotate. From [1].

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“…In particular, frequency up-converted single-photon detection facilitates a successful realization of a fiber-based QKD at gigahertz (Thew et al, 2006). Another optical technique for single-photon detection is just beginning (Han et al, 2008;Wu et al, 2010), where a high-gain optical amplifier is invented to amplify single photon to an intense light pulse. The spontaneous fluorescence is the major obstacle of the optical amplification technique to detect the single photon.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The spontaneous fluorescence is the major obstacle of the optical amplification technique to detect the single photon. (Han et al, 2008) used an optical parametric amplification, where the pulse width of the pump laser pulse was only 130 femtosecond. The influence of the spontaneous fluorescence was deeply suppressed in this ultra short period.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Near-Infrared Single-Photon Detection

Wu¹,

Wu²,

Chen³

et al. 2011

Photodiodes - World Activities in 2011

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Single-photon level ultrafast all-optical switching

Cited by 36 publications

References 23 publications

Emergence of electron coherence and two-color all-optical switching in MoS ₂ based on spatial self-phase modulation

Emergence of electron coherence and two-color all-optical switching in MoS ₂ based on spatial self-phase modulation

Transverse optical patterns for ultra‐low‐light‐level all‐optical switching

Near-Infrared Single-Photon Detection

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Single-photon level ultrafast all-optical switching

Cited by 36 publications

References 23 publications

Emergence of electron coherence and two-color all-optical switching in MoS 2 based on spatial self-phase modulation

Emergence of electron coherence and two-color all-optical switching in MoS 2 based on spatial self-phase modulation

Transverse optical patterns for ultra‐low‐light‐level all‐optical switching

Near-Infrared Single-Photon Detection

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Emergence of electron coherence and two-color all-optical switching in MoS ₂ based on spatial self-phase modulation

Emergence of electron coherence and two-color all-optical switching in MoS ₂ based on spatial self-phase modulation