Photon energy conversion by near-zero permittivity nonlinear materials
| DWPI Title: Method for performing photon energy conversion in harmonic light generation, involves coupling incident light with frequency equivalent to plasma frequency in epsilon-near-zero polariton mode of thin film |
| Abstract: Efficient harmonic light generation can be achieved with ultrathin films by coupling an incident pump wave to an epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) mode of the thin film. As an example, efficient third harmonic generation from an indium tin oxide nanofilm (λ/42 thick) on a glass substrate for a pump wavelength of 1.4 μm was demonstrated. A conversion efficiency of 3.3×10−6 was achieved by exploiting the field enhancement properties of the ENZ mode with an enhancement factor of 200. This nanoscale frequency conversion method is applicable to other plasmonic materials and reststrahlen materials in proximity of the longitudinal optical phonon frequencies. |
| Use: Method for performing photon energy conversion used in harmonic light generation. |
| Advantage: The efficient harmonic generation is achieved with ultrathin films by coupling an incident pump wave to an ENZ polariton mode of the thin film. The coupling to the ENZ mode is optimized by kretschmann excitation scheme. |
| Novelty: The method involves providing a thin film of a material having an ENZ polariton mode at a plasma frequency at which the dielectric permittivity is near zero on a substrate. A light is generated from incident light having frequency equivalent to plasma frequency to ENZ polariton mode of thin film by nonlinear optical process where light is coupled into the thin film from substrate side under total internal reflection condition. The thin film material comprises plasmonic metamaterial, reststrahlen material, indium-tin-oxide (ITO) and gallium arsenide (GaAs). |
| Filed: 2/10/2016 |
| Application Number: US15040799A |
| Tech ID: SD 13718.0 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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