Polarization Of Emission Research Articles

Excitation of Chiral Cavity Plasmon Resonances in Film‐Coupled Chiral Au Nanoparticles

AbstractChiral plasmonic nanostructures have attracted increasing attention because of their superchiral near‐fields as well as strong far‐field chiral optical response. Recently, the development of chemical synthesis methods enabled the large‐scale manufacturing of three‐dimensional colloidal chiral plasmonic nanocrystals. Further improving the chiral optical response of such nanostructures will greatly facilitate their practical applications. In this work, it is found both in calculations and experiments that chiral cavity plasmon resonances can be excited in film‐coupled chiral Au helicoid nanoparticles, enabling the significant enhancement of the nanostructure chiral optical response. In addition, it is demonstrated from simulation that the chiral cavity mode can modulate the emission polarization of a point electric dipole placed in the nanocavity formed by the nanoparticle and the Au film, allowing the emission of almost circularly polarized photons by the linear dipole with the emission circular polarization anisotropy factor reaching as high as 93%. The film‐coupled chiral plasmonic nanoparticles therefore provide a promising platform for the construction of advanced chiral optical devices such as on‐chip nonreciprocal nanoscale light sources, chiral plasmonic sensors, chiral metamaterials, plasmonically enabled valleytronic devices, and nanophotonic circuits for future on‐chip communication applications.

Efficient Room-Temperature Operation of a Quantum Dot Spin-Polarized Light-Emitting Diode under High-Bias Conditions

Spin-polarized light-emitting diodes (spin LEDs) are essential for the optical transfer of carrier-spin information in spin-based electronic circuits. Efficient operation under high-bias conditions is required for high-speed transfer of spin information and strong light emission. However, achieving high-electroluminescence (EL) circular polarization is hampered by electric-field-induced spin relaxation during drift transport in undoped $\mathrm{Ga}\mathrm{As}$ barriers. Herein, we demonstrate the efficient room-temperature operation of a spin LED using ($\mathrm{In},\mathrm{Ga})\mathrm{As}$ quantum dots (QDs) tunnel coupled with a 5-nm-thick $\mathrm{Ga}(\mathrm{N},\mathrm{As})$ quantum well (QW). A high-EL circular polarization of approximately 7% is achieved, even under high-bias conditions, in comparison with the lower value of approximately 3% for the conventional QD spin LED without $\mathrm{Ga}(\mathrm{N},\mathrm{As})$. This is realized by an increase of spin polarization after injection into the QDs by utilizing remote spin filtering of QD electrons via an adjacent tunnel-coupled $\mathrm{Ga}(\mathrm{N},\mathrm{As})$ QW. These results demonstrate that the tunnel-coupled structure of ($\mathrm{In},\mathrm{Ga})\mathrm{As}$ QDs and $\mathrm{Ga}(\mathrm{N},\mathrm{As})$ QW is a promising active layer of spin LEDs for achieving both strong EL emission and high-EL circular polarization at room temperature.

Correcting bandwidth depolarization by extreme Faraday rotation

ABSTRACT Measurements of the polarization of radio emission are subject to a number of depolarization effects such as bandwidth depolarization, which is caused by the averaging effect of a finite channel bandwidth combined with the frequency-dependent polarization caused by Faraday rotation. There have been very few mathematical treatments of bandwidth depolarization, especially in the context of the rotation measure (RM) synthesis method for analysing radio polarization data. We have found a simple equation for predicting if bandwidth depolarization is significant for a given observational configuration. We have derived and tested three methods of modifying RM synthesis to correct for bandwidth depolarization. From these tests we have developed a new algorithm that can detect bandwidth-depolarized signals with higher signal-to-noise ratio than conventional RM synthesis and recover the correct source polarization properties (RM and polarized intensity). We have verified that this algorithm works as expected with real data from the LOw-Frequency ARray (LOFAR) Two-metre Sky Survey. To make this algorithm available to the community, we have added it as a new tool in the RM-Tools polarization analysis package.

Tackling the Unique Challenges of Low-frequency Solar Polarimetry with the Square Kilometre Array Low Precursor: Pipeline Implementation

The dynamics and the structure of the solar corona are determined by its magnetic field. Measuring coronal magnetic fields is, however, extremely hard. The polarization of low-frequency radio emissions has long been recognized as one of the few effective observational probes of magnetic fields in the mid and high corona. However, the extreme intrinsic variability of this emission, the limited ability of most of the available existing instrumentation (until recently) to capture it, and the technical challenges involved have all contributed to its use being severely limited. The high dynamic-range spectropolarimetric snapshot imaging capability that is needed for radio coronal magnetography is now within reach. This has been enabled by the confluence of data from the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA), a Square Kilometre Array (SKA) precursor, and our unsupervised and robust polarization calibration and imaging software pipeline dedicated to the Sun—Polarimetry using the Automated Imaging Routine for Compact Arrays of the Radio Sun (P-AIRCARS). Here, we present the architecture and implementation details of P-AIRCARS. Although the present implementation of P-AIRCARS is tuned to the MWA, the algorithm itself can easily be adapted for future arrays, such as SKA1-Low. We hope and expect that P-AIRCARS will enable exciting new science with instruments like the MWA, and that it will encourage the wider use of radio imaging in the larger solar physics community.

Shockwave-based THz emission in air.

THz emission in air under the irradiation of a pair of tightly-focused femtosecond laser pulses (800nm, 35fs) with nanosecond time delay and micro-meter spatial offsets is studied with polarization-sensitive THz time-domain spectroscopy and time-resolved imaging. The pre-pulse irradiation induces air-breakdown at its focus, which results in the expansion of shockwave front traveling outward. When the main pulse irradiates such shockwave front far from the pre-pulse focus with nanosecond delay, THz emission intensity was enhanced up to ∼13-times and its linear polarization was aligned along the line between the two focus positions of the pre- and the main pulses which is parallel to the expansion direction of the shockwave front. Asymmetric density profiles of the shockwave fronts prepared by the pre-pulse irradiation define the polarization of THz emission. Mechanisms are discussed from the viewpoint of electron diffusion in such asymmetric density profiles.

Controlling light emission by a thermalized ensemble of colloidal quantum dots with a metasurface.

We report an experimental and theoretical study of light emission by a patterned ensemble of colloidal quantum dots (cQDs). This system modifies drastically the emission spectrum and polarization as compared to a planar layer of cQDs. It exhibits bright, directional and polarized emission including a degree of circular polarization in some directions. We introduce a model of light emission based on a local Kirchhoff law which reproduces accurately all the features of the experiment. The model provides a figure of merit to assess quantitatively the emitted power. This work paves the way to the systematic design of efficient ultrathin light emitting metasurfaces with controlled polarization, spectrum and directivity.

Controlled Self-assembly of Gold(I) Complexes by Multiple Kinetic Aggregation States with Nonlinear Optical and Waveguide Properties.

Introduction of multiple kinetic aggregation states (Aggs) into the self-assembly pathway could bring complexity and flexibility to the self-assemblies, which is difficult to realize due to the delicate equilibria established among different Aggs bonded by weak noncovalent interactions. Here, we describe a series of chiral and achiral d10 AuI bis(N-heterocyclic carbene, NHC) complexes, and the achiral complex could undergo self-assembly with multiple kinetic Aggs. Generation of multiple kinetic Aggs was realized by applying chiral or achiral seeds exhibiting large differences in elongation temperatures for their respective cooperative self-assembly processes. We further showed that the chiral AuI self-assemblies having non-centrosymmetric packing forms exhibit nonlinear optical response of second harmonic generation (SHG), while the SHG signal is absent in the achiral analogue. The crystalline achiral AuI self-assemblies could function as optical waveguides with strong emission polarization.

Controlled Self‐assembly of Gold(I) Complexes by Multiple Kinetic Aggregation States with Nonlinear Optical and Waveguide Properties

AbstractIntroduction of multiple kinetic aggregation states (Aggs) into the self‐assembly pathway could bring complexity and flexibility to the self‐assemblies, which is difficult to realize due to the delicate equilibria established among different Aggs bonded by weak noncovalent interactions. Here, we describe a series of chiral and achiral d10 AuI bis(N‐heterocyclic carbene, NHC) complexes, and the achiral complex could undergo self‐assembly with multiple kinetic Aggs. Generation of multiple kinetic Aggs was realized by applying chiral or achiral seeds exhibiting large differences in elongation temperatures for their respective cooperative self‐assembly processes. We further showed that the chiral AuI self‐assemblies having non‐centrosymmetric packing forms exhibit nonlinear optical response of second harmonic generation (SHG), while the SHG signal is absent in the achiral analogue. The crystalline achiral AuI self‐assemblies could function as optical waveguides with strong emission polarization.

Spatio-temporal dynamics of anisotropic emission from nano-second laser produced aluminium plasma

We report the polarization of spectral emission from aluminium plasma generated using a ns laser. The results show an interesting behaviour of polarization flips with the plasma plume propagation direction.

Yb:CaYAlO<sub>4</sub> regenerative amplifier

Attosecond science is one of the driving forces for developing the femtosecond amplifiers of high average power and ultrashort pulse duration. In this work, the regenerative amplification is studied experimentally and theoretically based on Yb:CaYAlO<sub>4</sub> crystal for the practical needs of high-repetition-rate attosecond light sources. In the theoretical study, a mode-tunable regenerative cavity with good thermal stability is designed based on the thermal lens calculations of Yb:CaYAlO<sub>4</sub> crystal; the amplified output energy and spectra of <i>π</i> and <i>σ</i> polarization of the crystal are calculated. In the experiment, the <i>π</i>-axis of Yb:CaYAlO<sub>4</sub> crystal is parallel to the laser polarization, and the laser amplifier emits 1.61 mJ pulses with average power 16.1 W. Notably, the dip of the <i>π</i>-polarization emission spectrum near 1025.1 nm compensates for the gain narrowing of the seed laser during amplification. Thus, the center wavelength and the spectral full width at a half maximum of the amplified laser are 1030 nm and 16 nm respectively. Using a grating-pair for compression, 149 fs pulses with peak power 9.5 GW are obtained. In comparison, the σ-polarization emission spectrum of Yb:CaYAlO<sub>4</sub> crystal is relatively flat in a range from 1000 to 1050 nm, but with a larger gain cross-section. When the laser polarization is parallel to the <i>σ</i>-axis of Yb:CaYAlO<sub>4</sub> crystal, 2.87 mJ pulses at 10 kHz repetition rate are achieved, with an average power of 28.7 W. In this case, the center wavelength and the spectral full width at half maximum of the amplified laser are 1037 nm and 11 nm respectively. Using a grating-pair for compression, 178 fs pulses with peak power of 14.2 GW are obtained. The beam quality factor measured is 1.09 along the <i>x</i>-axis of the amplified laser and 1.17 along the <i>y</i>-axis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest average power and the maximum pulse energy obtained from the Yb:CaYAlO<sub>4</sub> amplifier. For applications in high-repetition-rate attosecond light sources, terahertz generation and optical parametric amplification, subsequent laser outputs with average power 200 W, pulse energy 20 mJ and pulse duration less than 200 fs are expected to be achieved by adding two stages of traveling-wave amplification.

Linear polarization emission of Yb:YAG laser via polarization mode frequency locking

Direct linear polarization emission from a diode-pumped Yb:YAG laser is realized by changing the intracavity loss anisotropy which is controlled by finely adjusting the resonator. A theoretical model describing the relationship between loss and phase anisotropy on the frequency difference of polarization eigenmode has been established. The frequency difference of the polarization eigenmodes is investigated by recording the beat-note with a radio-frequency spectrum analyzer. By slightly tilting the output coupler, the beat-note frequency varied with the polarization state of the Yb:YAG laser. When the beat-note frequency disappeared, the laser was highly linearly polarized. The analysis of the beam profile of the linearly polarized output shows that the output originated from the coherent combination between two orthogonal polarization eigenmodes. The experimental results are in good agreement with the calculated results. Our research results confirm that the linearly polarized output in the isotropic laser can be realized by polarization eigenmode frequency locking.

Novel laser crystal Nd3+: Ca(Y, Gd)AlO4: A promising candidate for laser operation beyond 1.37 µm

A novel laser crystal Nd: CaGd0.1Y0.9AlO4 (Nd3+: Ca(Y, Gd)AlO4) crystal has been successfully grown by Czochralski (CZ) method. With the introduction of Gd3+ ions, this crystal has a more disorder structure than that of the Nd: CaYAlO4 (Nd: CYA). The full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of the π polarization emission spectra at around 1365 nm for the Nd3+: Ca(Y, Gd)AlO4 crystal was 53 nm, which is larger than that of Nd: CYA (35 nm) crystals, provided clear evidence for the more disorder structure. Moreover, its wide absorption spectral was maintained compared to the Nd: CYA crystal. At the same time, the effective dual-wavelength continuous-wave laser operation at 1358.4 nm and 1374 nm was realized of the as-grown crystal for the first time. These results suggest that the Nd3+: Ca(Y, Gd)AlO4 crystal is a promising disordered laser host for solid laser operation at the wavelength longer than 1370 nm in the range of 1.3–1.4 µm.

Single-shot measurement of wavelength-resolved state of polarization dynamics in ultrafast lasers using dispersed division-of-amplitude

Characterization of the state of polarization (SOP) of ultrafast laser emission is relevant in several application fields such as field manipulation, pulse shaping, testing of sample characteristics, and biomedical imaging. Nevertheless, since high-speed detection and wavelength-resolved measurements cannot be simultaneously achieved by commercial polarization analyzers, single-shot measurements of the wavelength-resolved SOP of ultrafast laser pulses have rarely been reported. Here, we propose a method for single-shot, wavelength-resolved SOP measurements that exploits the method of division-of-amplitude under far-field transformation. A large accumulated chromatic dispersion is utilized to time-stretch the laser pulses via dispersive Fourier transform, so that spectral information is mapped into a temporal waveform. By calibrating our test matrix with different wavelengths, wavelength-resolved SOP measurements are achieved, based on the division-of-amplitude approach, combined with high-speed opto-electronic processing. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, we reveal the complex wavelength-dependent SOP dynamics in the build-up of dissipative solitons. The experimental results show that the dissipative soliton exhibits far more complex wavelength-related polarization dynamics, which are not shown in single-shot spectrum measurement. Our method paves the way for single-shot measurement and intelligent control of ultrafast lasers with wavelength-resolved SOP structures, which could promote further investigations of polarization-related optical signal processing techniques, such as pulse shaping and hyperspectral polarization imaging.

Precession of magnetars: dynamical evolutions and modulations on polarized electromagnetic waves

ABSTRACT Magnetars are conjectured to be highly magnetized neutron stars (NSs). Strong internal magnetic field and elasticity in the crust may deform the stars and lead to free precession. We study the precession dynamics of triaxially deformed NSs incorporating the near-field and the far-field electromagnetic torques. We obtain timing residuals for different NS geometries and torques. We also investigate the polarized X-ray and radio signals from precessing magnetars. The modulations on the Stokes parameters are obtained for thermal X-rays emitted from the surface of magnetars. For radio signals, we apply the simple rotating vector model (RVM) to give the modulations on the position angle (PA) of the polarization. Our results are comprehensive, ready to be used to search for magnetar precession with timing data and polarizations of X-ray and radio emissions. Future observations of precessing magnetars will give us valuable information on the geometry and the strength of the strong magnetic fields, the emission geometry, as well as the equation of state of NSs.

Monte Carlo study of a 3D CZT spectroscopic-imager for scattering polarimetry

The measurement of the polarisation of the high-energy emission from cosmic sources has now become a key observational parameter for understanding the production mechanisms and the geometry of the regions involved. Therefore, a mandatory requirement for new instrumentation in this energy range will be to provide high sensitivity for polarimetric measurements. For several years our group has studied the performance of CdTe/CZT pixel spectrometers as scattering polarimeters, however in order to achieve the sensitivities required by the next generation of instrumentation in the 100 keV to MeV band, a promising solution is now offered by the development of spectrometers capable of three-dimensional spatial resolution (i.e. 3D spectroscopic imager) to be used as the focal plane of new high energy focusing optics. In the framework of the study of a new spaceborne telescope based on a broad-band Laue lens (AHEAD 2020), we report on the results of a Monte Carlo study devoted to optimise the configuration of a 3D CZT detector for scattering polarimetry, i.e. to optimise its modulation factor (Q). In particular, we present results on the dependence of Q on the detector geometrical configurations (thickness and pixel/voxel scales), and from various event filters that can be implemented.

Is the mm/submm dust polarization a robust tracer of the magnetic field topology in protostellar envelopes? A model exploration

Context. High-resolution millimeter and submillimeter (mm and submm) polarization observations have opened a new era in the understanding of how magnetic fields are organized in star forming regions, unveiling an intricate interplay between the magnetic fields and the gas in protostellar cores. However, to assess the role of the magnetic field in the process of solar-type star formation, it is important to understand to what extent the polarized dust emission is a good tracer of the magnetic field in the youngest protostellar objects. Aims. In this paper, we present a thorough investigation of the fidelity and limitations of using dust polarized emission to map the magnetic field topologies in low-mass protostars. Methods. To assess the importance of these effects, we performed an analysis of magnetic field properties in 27 realizations of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) models following the evolution of physical properties in star-forming cores. Assuming a uniform population of dust grains the sizes of which follow the standard MRN size distribution, we analyzed the synthetic polarized dust emission maps produced when these grains align with the local B-field because of radiative torques (B-RATs). Results. We find that mm and submm polarized dust emission is a robust tracer of the magnetic field topologies in inner protostellar envelopes and is successful at capturing the details of the magnetic field spatial distribution down to radii ~100 au. Measurements of the line-of-sight-averaged magnetic field line orientation using the polarized dust emission are precise to <15° (typical of the error on polarization angles obtained with observations from large mm polarimetric facilities such as ALMA) in about 75%–95% of the independent lines of sight that pass through protostellar envelopes. Large discrepancies between the integrated B-field mean orientation and the orientation reconstructed from the polarized dust emission are mostly observed in (i) lines of sight where the magnetic field is highly disorganized and (ii) those that probe large column densities. Our analysis shows that the high opacity of the thermal dust emission and low polarization fractions could be used to avoid using the small fraction of measurements affected by large errors.

Polar Dust Emission in Quasar IR SEDs and Its Correlation with Narrow-line Regions

Polar dust has been found to play an important role in the mid-infrared emission of nearby Seyfert nuclei. If and how often polar dust exists among the quasar population is unknown due to the lack of spatially resolved observations. In this Letter, we report correlations between the prominence of active galactic nucleus (AGN) forbidden line emission (commonly associated with the narrow-line region) and the dust mid-IR energy output among the archetypal Palomar-Green quasar sample and other bright type-1 AGNs drawn from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, Spitzer, and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) archives. The AGN mid-IR color differences traced by WISE W2 (∼4.6 μm)−W3 (∼12 μm) and W2 (∼4.6 μm)−W4 (∼22 μm), and near-IR to mid-IR spectral energy distributions (SEDs) constrained with the Two Micron All Sky Survey, WISE, and Spitzer data have clear trends with the relative strength of the forbidden line regions traced by the optical [O iii] and mid-IR [O iv] emission lines. These observations indicate that, where the lines are strong, a large fraction of the AGN emission at λ ≳ 5 μm comes from dust in the forbidden line regions. We find that the widely quoted universal AGN template is a result of averaging quasar SEDs with different levels of polar dust emission above the torus output and that the typical intrinsic IR SED of compact torus dust emission alone falls with increasing wavelength past 5 μm (in νF ν ). In addition, the association of polar dust with the forbidden lines suggests an alternative to the receding torus hypothesis for the decrease in infrared output with increasing AGN luminosity.

Photoluminescence Polarization of MAPbBr3 Perovskite Nanostructures. Can the Dielectric Contrast Effect Explain It?

The dielectric contrast effect is usually evoked to explain anisotropy of optical properties of elongated nanoobjects, for example, semiconductor nanowires. We applied two-dimensional polarization imaging microscopy to measure the polarization of photoluminescence (PL) excitation and PL intensity of nanoaggregates of in-situ formed MAPbBr3 perovskite nanoparticles in a stretched polymeric matrix. Scanning electron microscopy images of these objects were also acquired to characterize their sizes and shapes. We find that individual perovskite aggregates with sizes of 100–300 nm often possess a PL excitation polarization degree as high as 0.5–0.9, which is up to three times higher than the polarization degree of absorption predicted by the dielectric contrast effect. Small aggregates of nanoparticles possess an emission polarization degree substantially higher than that of excitation. Computer simulations of many possible scenarios show that the dielectric contrast alone cannot quantitatively explain the polarization properties of the studied objects. We propose energy transfer to localized emitting sites and the dependence of PL yield on excitation power density as possible factors strongly influencing the polarization properties of PL emission and PL excitation, respectively.

Superhelicene with NIR Circularly Polarized Emission

Key words superhelicenes - NIR - circularly polarized luminescence - hexabenzocoronene

Plasmonic Chiral Metasurface-Induced Upconverted Circularly Polarized Luminescence from Achiral Upconversion Nanoparticles.

Chirality induction, transfer, and manipulation have aroused great interest in achiral nanomaterials. Here, we demonstrate strong upconverted circularly polarized luminescence from achiral core-shell upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) via a plasmonic chiral metasurface-induced optical chirality transfer. The Yb3+-sensitized core-shell UCNPs with good dispersity exhibit intense upconversion luminescence of Tm3+ and Nd3+ through the energy transfer process. By spin-coating the core-shell UCNPs on this chiral metasurface, strong enhancement and circular polarization modulation of upconversion luminescence can be achieved due to resonant coupling between surface plasmons and upconversion nanoparticles. In the UCNPs-on-metasurface composite, a significant upconversion luminescence enhancement can be achieved with a maximum enhancement factor of 32.63 at 878 nm and an overall enhancement factor of 11.61. The luminescence dissymmetry factor of the induced upconverted circularly polarized luminescence can reach 0.95 at the emission wavelength of 895 nm. The UCNPs-on-metasurface composite yields efficient modulation for the emission intensity and polarization of UCNPs, paving new pathways to many potential applications in imaging, sensing, and anticounterfeiting fields.