Optical Data Storage Research Articles

Two-photon absorption of FAPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals

Perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) with high two-photon absorption (TPA) cross-section are of great interest due to their potential applications in three-dimensional optical data storage and multiphoton fluorescence microscopy. Among various perovskite materials, FAPbBr3 NCs show a better development prospect due to their excellent stability. However, there are few reports on their nonlinear optical properties. In this work, the nonlinear optical behavior of FAPbBr3 NCs is studied. The methods of multiphoton absorption photoluminescence saturation and open aperture Z-scan technique were applied to determine the TPA cross-section of FAPbBr3 NCs, which was around 2.76 × 10−45 cm4⋅s⋅photon−1 at 800 nm. In addition, temperature-dependent photoluminescence induced by TPA was investigated, and the small longitudinal optical phonon energy and electron–phonon coupling strength was obtained, which confirm the weak Pb–Br interaction. Meanwhile, it is found that the exciton binding energy in FAPbBr3 NCs was 69.668 meV, which may be ascribed to the strong hydrogen bond interaction. It is expected that our findings will promote the application of FAPbBr3 NCs in optoelectronic devices.

Ultraviolet-Visible Multifunctional Vortex Metaplates by Breaking Conventional Rotational Symmetry.

Metasurfaces have shown remarkable potential to manipulate many of light's intrinsic properties, such as phase, amplitude, and polarization. Recent advancements in nanofabrication technologies and persistent efforts from the research community result in the realization of highly efficient, broadband, and multifunctional metasurfaces. Simultaneous control of these characteristics in a single-layered metasurface will be an apparent technological extension. Here, we demonstrate a broadband multifunctional metasurface platform with the unprecedented ability to independently control the phase profile for two orthogonal polarization states of incident light over dual-wavelength spectra (ultraviolet to visible). In this work, multiple single-layered metasurfaces composed of bandgap-engineered silicon nitride nanoantennas are designed, fabricated, and optically characterized to demonstrate broadband multifunctional light manipulation ability, including structured beam generation and meta-interferometer implementation. We envision the presented metasurface platform opening new avenues for broadband multifunctional applications including ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, spatially modulated illumination microscopy, optical data storage, and information encoding.

Ostensibly perpetual optical data storage in glass with ultra-high stability and tailored photoluminescence

Long-term optical data storage (ODS) technology is essential to break the bottleneck of high energy consumption for information storage in the current era of big data. Here, ODS with an ultralong lifetime of 2×10⁷ years is attained with single ultrafast laser pulse induced reduction of Eu³⁺ ions and tailoring of optical properties inside the Eu-doped aluminosilicate glasses. We demonstrate that the induced local modifications in the glass can stand against the temperature of up to 970 K and strong ultraviolet light irradiation with the power density of 100 kW/cm². Furthermore, the active ions of Eu²⁺ exhibit strong and broadband emission with the full width at half maximum reaching 190 nm, and the photoluminescence (PL) is flexibly tunable in the whole visible region by regulating the alkaline earth metal ions in the glasses. The developed technology and materials will be of great significance in photonic applications such as long-term ODS.

Time-sequential color code division multiplexing holographic display with metasurface

Color metasurface holograms are powerful and versatile platforms for modulating the amplitude, phase, polarization, and other properties of light at multiple operating wavelengths. However, the current color metasurface holography can only realize static manipulation. In this study, we propose and demonstrate a multiplexing metasurface technique combined with multiwavelength code-division multiplexing (CDM) to realize dynamic manipulation. Multicolor code references are utilized to record information within a single metasurface and increase the information capacity and security for anti-cracks. A total of 48 monochrome images consisting of pure color characters and multilevel color video frames were reconstructed in dual polarization channels of the birefringent metasurface to exhibit high information density, and a video was displayed via sequential illumination of the corresponding code patterns to verify the ability of dynamic manipulation. Our approach demonstrates significant application potential in optical data storage, optical encryption, multiwavelength-versatile diffractive optical elements, and stimulated emission depletion microscopy.

Achieving excitation wavelength-power-dependent colorful luminescence via multiplexing of dual lanthanides in fluorine oxide particles for multilevel anticounterfeiting.

The optical characteristics of multimode luminescent materials like multimode luminescence (photoluminescence, afterglow, thermoluminescence) and a multi-excitation source (light, thermal, mechanical force) play crucial roles in optical data storage and readout, document security and anticounterfeiting. A higher level of advanced anticounterfeiting may rely on multimode anticounterfeiting materials that can realize multicolor luminescence. Here, a highly integrated multimode and multicolor Y7O6F9:Er3+,Eu3+ material is developed through multiplexing of dual lanthanides in fluorine oxide particles. In photoluminescence and photoluminescence/up-conversion luminescence modes, the material Y7O6F9:Er3+,Eu3+ has the characteristic of excitation wavelength and power dependence. In the photoluminescence mode, under excitation at 254 nm and 365 nm, Y7O6F9:Er3+ and Y7O6F9:Eu3+ showed bright red and green emissions, respectively. In the photoluminescence/up-conversion mode, under the increased excitation power from 0.2 to 2.0 W cm-2, the color of luminescence emission can be finely tuned from red to orange, yellow and green. Taking this unique excitation wavelength-power-dependent luminescence property into account, a multilevel anticounterfeiting device with the Lily pattern was designed. The device readily integrates the advantages of the excitation wavelength-dependent photoluminescence emissions and excitation power-dependent photoluminescence emissions in one overall device. These findings offer unique insight for designing highly integrated multimode, multicolor luminescence materials and advanced anticounterfeiting technology toward a wide variety of applications, particularly multilevel anticounterfeiting devices.

Transmitting biomolecular chirality into carbon nanodots: a facile approach to acquire chiral light emission at the nanoscale.

Since the observation of chirality at the nanoscale, research focused towards the design and synthesis of optically active nanomaterials has been at a brisk pace. In this regard, carbon based zero dimensional nanomaterials have attracted vast attention due to their rich optical properties, abundance of raw materials, minimal environmental hazardousness, good solubility, and ease of surface modification. However, efforts focused towards the synthesis of chiral carbon nanodots exhibiting optical activity both in their ground and excited states are rather scarce. Herein, we report a facile synthetic approach for the preparation of three sets of intrinsically chiral carbon nanodots that exhibit intense circularly polarized luminescence. Synthesis under optimized conditions using l- and d-isomers of the chiral precursors led to the formation of carbon nanodots that displayed mirror image circular dichroism and circularly polarized luminescence signals revealing their ground and excited state chirality. The experimental results are supportive of the reported core-shell model comprising an achiral carbon core that is enclosed within an amorphous shell contributing to the chiral luminescence. The luminescence anisotropy and wavelength could be tuned by varying the experimental conditions such as temperature and pH. The chiral emissive properties of the nanoparticles could be demonstrated in free-standing polymeric films revealing their potential to be used as chiral light emitting agents in optical devices, data storage and security tags. Being the first observation of intrinsic circularly polarized luminescence from a range of carbon nanodots, both in the solution and solid state, we envisage that the work will open new avenues for the investigation of excited stated chirality at the nanoscale.

Pressure-induced physical properties in topological semi-metal TaM2 (M = As, Sb).

In this study, DFT based first principles calculations are used for measuring the structural, elastic, mechanical, electronic, optical and thermodynamic features of topological semimetal TaM2 (M = As, Sb) under various pressures. We conducted the first investigation into the physical properties of the topological semimetal TaM2 (M = As, Sb) under pressure. Formation energy and Born stability criteria justify the compound's thermodynamic and mechanical stability. We used elastic constants, elastic moduli, Kleinman parameter, machinability index, and Vickers hardness to investigate the mechanical properties of topological semimetal TaM2. Poisson's and Pugh's ratios reveal that both compounds change from brittle to ductile in response to pressure. The increasing nature of elastic moduli suggests that TaM2 becomes stiffer under stress. The pressure has a significant effect on the anisotropy factor for both materials. Band structure analysis shows that both compounds are Weyl semi-metals and the d orbital contributes significantly to the formation of the Fermi level, as shown by the density of states (DOS) analysis. Investigation of electronic characteristics provides important support for dissecting optical performance. Both the reflectivity and absorption spectra shift upwards in energy when pressure is increased. The refractive index value decreases and becomes flat in the higher energy region. Based on their refractive indices, both of these materials demonstrate as a high-density optical data storage medium when exposed to the right light source. The thermodynamic properties including sound velocity, and Debye temperature all exhibit an increasing nature with applied pressure. Due to their high Debye temperatures, the components under study have a rather high melting point.

Pursuing excitonic energy transfer with programmable DNA-based optical breadboards.

DNA nanotechnology has now enabled the self-assembly of almost any prescribed 3-dimensional nanoscale structure in large numbers and with high fidelity. These structures are also amenable to site-specific modification with a variety of small molecules ranging from drugs to reporter dyes. Beyond obvious application in biotechnology, such DNA structures are being pursued as programmable nanoscale optical breadboards where multiple different/identical fluorophores can be positioned with sub-nanometer resolution in a manner designed to allow them to engage in multistep excitonic energy-transfer (ET) via Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) or other related processes. Not only is the ability to create such complex optical structures unique, more importantly, the ability to rapidly redesign and prototype almost all structural and optical analogues in a massively parallel format allows for deep insight into the underlying photophysical processes. Dynamic DNA structures further provide the unparalleled capability to reconfigure a DNA scaffold on the fly in situ and thus switch between ET pathways within a given assembly, actively change its properties, and even repeatedly toggle between two states such as on/off. Here, we review progress in developing these composite materials for potential applications that include artificial light harvesting, smart sensors, nanoactuators, optical barcoding, bioprobes, cryptography, computing, charge conversion, and theranostics to even new forms of optical data storage. Along with an introduction into the DNA scaffolding itself, the diverse fluorophores utilized in these structures, their incorporation chemistry, and the photophysical processes they are designed to exploit, we highlight the evolution of DNA architectures implemented in the pursuit of increased transfer efficiency and the key lessons about ET learned from each iteration. We also focus on recent and growing efforts to exploit DNA as a scaffold for assembling molecular dye aggregates that host delocalized excitons as a test bed for creating excitonic circuits and accessing other quantum-like optical phenomena. We conclude with an outlook on what is still required to transition these materials from a research pursuit to application specific prototypes and beyond.

Decoding the future: opportunities and challenges in next-generation optical data storage [Invited

Decoding the future: opportunities and challenges in next-generation optical data storage [Invited

Y3Al5O12:Ce3+ fluorescent ceramic for optical data storage

A kind of optical data storage medium based on electron-trapping materials, Y3Al5O12:Ce3+ fluorescent ceramic, was developed by vacuum sintering technology. The medium shows sufficiently deep traps (1.67 and 0.77 eV). The properties of trap levels were researched by thermoluminescence curves, and the optical storage mechanism based on Ce3+ ion doping was proposed. More importantly, the data can be written-in by 254 nm UV light, and readout by heating (300°C). This work expands the application fields of fluorescent ceramics, and it is expected to promote the development of electron-trapping materials.

Multimodal and Multicolor Anti-counterfeiting Realized in CaCd2Ga2Ge3O12 with a Single Activator of Mn2.

The continuously growing significance of information security and authentication has put forward many new requirements and challenges for modern luminescent materials and anti-counterfeiting technologies. Recently, luminescent materials have attracted much attention in this field owing to their legibility, repeatability, multicolor, and multiple stimuli-responsive nature. In this work, the efficient multicolor and multimodal luminescence material CaCd2Ga2Ge3O12:Mn2+ was successfully designed and synthesized using the strategy of single-doped Mn2+ in a single matrix. Also, we combined the morphology, crystal structure, energy band calculation, luminescence properties, and trap analysis to study the optical data storage capacity of CaCd2Ga2Ge3O12:Mn2+. Interestingly, in the presence of the 254 nm UV lamp, the sample can exhibit a tunable emission color from bule to cyan to yellow by increasing the dopant concentration of Mn2+. Also, under the afterglow and thermoluminescence luminescence modes, it presented strong yellow emission centered at 558 nm. Based on the advantage of multiple tunable luminescence, samples were made into anti-counterfeiting ink and were used to print four optical devices through the screen printing technology. The results show that the material has excellent multicolor anti-counterfeiting properties under the three luminescence modes, which has contributed to the development of many kinds of luminescent anti-counterfeiting materials for security purposes.

Mie Resonances Enabled Subtractive Structural Colors with Low-Index-Contrast Silicon Metasurfaces.

All-dielectric structural colors are attracting increasing attention due to their great potential for various applications in display devices, imaging security certification, optical data storage, and so on. However, it remains a great challenge to achieve vivid structural colors with low-aspect-ratio silicon nanostructures directly on a silicon substrate, which is highly desirable for future integrated optoelectronic devices. The main obstacle comes from the difficulty in achieving strong Mie resonances by Si nanostructures on low-index-contrast substrates. Here, we demonstrate a generic principle to create vivid bright field structural colors by using silicon nanopillars directly on top of the silicon substrate. Complementary colors across the full visible spectrum are achieved as a result of the enhanced absorption due to Mie resonances. It is shown that the color saturation increases with the increasing of the nanopillar height. Remarkably, blue and black colors are generated by trapezoid nanopillar arrays as a result of the absorption at long wavelengths or all visible wavelengths. Our strategy provides a powerful scheme for accelerating the integrated optoelectronic applications in nanoscale color printing, imaging, and displays.

Luminescence study of NaMgF3:Ho and NaMgF3:Er: X-ray induced reduction Ho3+ → Ho2+

X-ray induced reduction Ho3+ → Ho2+ was observed in polycrystalline samples of NaMgF3:Ho. Prior to irradiation, only luminescence arising from 4f10 ↔ 4f10 transitions of Ho3+ was observed. After irradiation, excitation bands arising from 4f11 → 4f10(5IJ)5d1 transitions of Ho2+ were observed in the visible spectral region, and a corresponding 4f11(4I13/2) → 4f11(4I15/2) emission was observed that peaked in the infrared at 1808 nm. The emissions of Ho3+ were compared with those of Dy2+, and the emissions of Ho2+ were compared with those of Er3+, in order to calculate the isoelectronic compression factors ξ(4f10) = 1.17 and ξ(4f11) = 1.18 for the isoelectronic Ln3+/Ln2+ pairs in the NaMgF3 host. The Ho reduction was reversible, where continuous stimulation with 360 nm light released trapped electrons such that Ho2+ → Ho3+. This optically reversible Ho2+ ↔ Ho3+ conversion may find applications in radiation sensing and optical data storage.

On‐Chip Multiwavelength Single‐Mode Lasers with CdSe Nanoribbons‐Embedded Microcavities

Integrated multiwavelength nanolasers are important in the practical development of optical circuitry for optical information processing and optical data storage. Herein, a new method for on‐chip integrated lasers is proposed, which can integrate single‐mode lasers with multiple wavelengths at room temperature. A four‐wavelength single‐mode nanoribbon laser chip is fabricated for demonstration. The mode of different laser units is controlled by the thickness of dielectric microcavity layers to select the resonant modes of excitation. Therefore, multiwavelength lasing can be coupled out based on the integrated cavity which is realized using combinatorial etching technique and can integrate tens of different‐wavelength lasers on a chip. The lasing modes of this device are all single‐mode lasing because of the short cavity length. Its lowest lasing threshold is only 5.4 kW cm−2. The gain material and the dielectric microcavity can be controlled and fabricated separately, which have strong controllability and flexibility. This new laser chip paves the way for a new class of hybrid nanolasers for chip‐integrated applications.

Effect of ambient temperature on optical performances of Eu2+/Ho3+ co-doped Ba2SiO4 phosphors

Persistent luminescence phosphor, as an extraordinary photonic material, is widely used in the many fields ranging from photodynamic therapy to optical data storage. The phosphor is sensitive to the ambient temperature; thus, the ambient temperature of the phosphor is a key in the widespread utilization. Here, the relation between the ambient temperature of Ba2SiO4:Eu2+/Ho3+ phosphor and the optical performances is evaluated. A warm storge condition is preferred before the excitation, while a low-temperature condition is necessary after charging for the high-intense response. The findings could make a suggestion for the preservation condition of the phosphors in the various applications.

Phase-Change Perovskite Microlaser with Tunable Polarization Vortex.

Metasurfaces supporting optical bound states in the continuum (BICs) are emerging as simple and compact optical cavities to realize polarization-vortex lasers. The winding of the polarization around the singularity defines topological charges which are generally set by the cavity design and cannot be altered without changing geometrical parameters. Here, a subwavelength-thin phase-change halide perovskite BIC metasurface functioning as a tunable polarization vortex microlaser is demonstrated. Upon the perovskite structural phase transitions, both its refractive index and gain vary substantially, inducing reversible and bistable switching between distinct polarization vortexes underpinned by opposite topological charges. Dynamic tuning and switching of the resulting vector beams may find use in microscopy imaging, particle trapping and manipulation, and optical data storage.

Dynamic Phase and Polarization Modulation Using Two-Beam Parallel Coding for Optical Storage in Transparent Materials.

In this paper, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a parallel coding and two-beam combining approach for the simultaneous implementation of dynamically generating holographic patterns at their arbitrary linear polarization states. Two orthogonal input beams are parallelly and independently encoded with the same target image information but there is different amplitude information by using two-phase computer-generated holograms (CGH) on two Liquid-Crystal-on-Silicon-Spatial-Light Modulators (LCOS SLMs). Two modulated beams are then considered as two polarization components and are spatially superposed to form the target polarization state. The final linear vector beam is created by the spatial superposition of the two base beams, capable of controlling the vector angle through the phase depth of the phase-only CGHs. Meanwhile, the combined holographic patterns can be freely encoded by the holograms of two vector components. Thus, this allows us to tailor the optical fields endowed with arbitrary holographic patterns and the linear polarization states at the same time. This method provides a more promising approach for laser data writing generation systems in the next-generation optical data storage technology in transparent materials.

Multicolor upconversion reversible modulations in YNbO4:Er3+/Tm3+/Yb3+ photochromic materials

Photochromic materials with multicolor upconversion reversible modulations are attractive in optical switching devices. Herein, the fabricated YNbO4:Er3+/Tm3+/Yb3+ materials exhibit excellent photochromism and multicolor upconversion properties from green, red to near infrared (NIR) emissions with increasing Yb concentrations. Reversible multiband upconversion modulations are achieved by alternating light (365 and 405 nm) or thermal stimuli. After 365 nm irradiation, the luminescence color changes from yellow to red, the luminescent photoswitching contrast reaches up to 86.21% (green), 82.12% (red) and 77.38% (NIR) in the Y0.83Er0.01Tm0.01NbO4:0.15 Yb sample. Besides, the upconversion emission intensity before and after photochromic reaction shows remarkable change in a wide temperature range of 298–718 K. These results indicate that the Er3+/Tm3+/Yb3+ tri-doped YNbO4 materials can be a good candidate in optical switching and data storage applications.

A photochromic material-based platform for high-precision UV light detection and erasable optical information storage

The ultraviolet (UV) light detection has important applications in photochemistry, material aging, plant cultivation, and integrated circuit lithography. And photochromic materials have attracted more and more attention in technological applications due to their different physical and chemical properties before and after irradiation with a specific excitation light source. Therefore, it is a very interesting work to realize the detection of ultraviolet light intensity based on photochromic materials with good response to ultraviolet light. Here, we design a dual excitation detection mode based on the inorganic photochromic material SrHfO3: Ho3+, and propose a simple and high-precision UV intensity detection method. The doping of Ho3+ ions optimizes the photochromic effect of the SrHfO3 host material and also enables the material to integrate the up-conversion and the downshifting luminescence modes. Different luminescence quenching degrees appear in response to photochromic effect between up-conversion and the downshifting luminescence modes, thereby constructing a dual excitation mode for high-precision UV light intensity detection. In addition, flexible films and 3D micro-rod arrays using the as-obtained photochromic material were designed and fabricated a photochromism platform toward the implementation of optical information storage. This work not only provides a photochromic platform for optical data storage, but also opens a way for simplification of UV intensity detection with high accuracy.

Preparation of multicolor microcapsules and their application in smart color-switching textiles

Spiropyran and spiroxazine photochromics have attracted increasing attention in optical data storage, optical switches, and anti-counterfeiting for decades. To expand the applications of spiropyran and spiroxazine, the durability and multi-color changes of spiropyran and spiroxazine still need to be explored. In this article, based on the subtractive principle of dyes, multi-color spiropyran and spiroxazine microcapsules with uniform particle sizes were prepared by the interfacial polymerization method via using compounds (spiropyran and spiroxazine) of different colors as the core material, and polyurethane as the shell material. Among them, toluene diisocyanate and polyethylene glycol constitute the hard and soft segments of polyurethane, respectively. The color of spiropyran and spiroxazine microcapsules can effectively switch between color and colorless, showing excellent photo fatigue resistance. The average particle size of microcapsules is 2.951 µm, and the particle distribution index value is 0.314, which shows the particle size is small and uniform. The maximum thermal decomposition temperature is 426°C, demonstrating good thermal stability. The hydrophobic photochromic fabric was prepared by coating multi-color spiropyran and spiroxazine microcapsules on cotton knitted fabric and hydrophobic treatment. The hydrophobic photochromic fabric is hydrophobic and stain resistant, and exhibits multi-color dynamic switching and long-lasting use. After 50 cycles of washing, the water contact angle of the fabric remains about 109°, showing its good washing resistance and water repellency. In addition, spiropyran and spiroxazine microcapsules are also applied in template and screen printing to impart rich and dynamic color-changing effects to fabrics, fabricating photochromic fabrics. Photochromic fabrics have potential applications in civilian and military fields.