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This content will become publicly available on August 1, 2025

Title: Nonlinear mid-infrared meta-membranes
Nanophotonic structures have shown promising routes to controlling and enhancing nonlinear optical processes at the nanoscale. However, most nonlinear nanostructures require a handling substrate, reducing their application scope. Due to the underwhelming heat dissipation, it has been a challenge to evaluate the nonlinear optical properties of free-standing nanostructures. Here, we overcome this challenge by performing shot-controlled fifth harmonic generation (FHG) measurements on a SiC meta-membrane – a free-standing transmission metasurface with pronounced optical resonances in the mid-infrared (λres≈ 4,000 nm). Back focal plane imaging of the FHG diffraction orders and rigorous finite-difference time-domain simulations reveal at least two orders of magnitude enhancement of the FHG from the meta-membrane, compared to the unstructured SiC film of the same thickness. Single-shot measurements of the meta-membrane with varying resonance positions reveal an unusual spectral behavior that we explain with Kerr-driven intensity-dependent resonance dynamics. This work paves the way for novel substrate-less nanophotonic architectures.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2339271
PAR ID:
10566634
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Publisher / Repository:
De Gruyter
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Nanophotonics
Volume:
13
Issue:
18
ISSN:
2192-8614
Page Range / eLocation ID:
3395 to 3402
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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