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Title: Spin-orbit-locked hyperbolic polariton vortices carrying reconfigurable topological charges
Abstract The topological features of optical vortices have been opening opportunities for free-space and on-chip photonic technologies, e.g., for multiplexed optical communications and robust information transport. In a parallel but disjoint effort, polar anisotropic van der Waals nanomaterials supporting hyperbolic phonon polaritons (HP 2 s) have been leveraged to drastically boost light-matter interactions. So far HP 2 studies have been mainly focusing on the control of their amplitude and scale features. Here we report the generation and observation of mid-infrared hyperbolic polariton vortices (HP 2 Vs) associated with reconfigurable topological charges. Spiral-shaped gold disks coated with a flake of hexagonal boron nitride are exploited to tailor spin–orbit interactions and realise deeply subwavelength HP 2 Vs. The complex interplay between excitation spin, spiral geometry and HP 2 dispersion enables robust reconfigurability of the associated topological charges. Our results reveal unique opportunities to extend the application of HP 2 s into topological photonics, quantum information processing by integrating these phenomena with single-photon emitters, robust on-chip optical applications, sensing and nanoparticle manipulation.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2044281
PAR ID:
10412969
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
eLight
Volume:
2
Issue:
1
ISSN:
2662-8643
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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