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Beam steering at the nanosecond time scale with an atomically thin reflector
Trond I Andersen1, Ryan J Gelly1, Giovanni Scuri1
1Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
Nature Communications
|June 14, 2022
Summary
Researchers developed a fast, tunable beam steering device using atomically thin semiconductors. This breakthrough enables new optical systems with rapid switching capabilities for advanced applications.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Controlling light at subwavelength scales is crucial for advanced optical systems.
- Developing fast, tunable components for active optical systems remains a significant challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate a novel few-pixel beam steering device.
- To achieve programmable and active control of light propagation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized electrostatic gate control of excitons in a molybdenum diselenide (MoSe2) monolayer.
- Integrated a graphene split-gate geometry with the MoSe2 monolayer for wavefront shaping.
Main Results:
- Achieved continuously tunable beam deflection up to 10 degrees.
- Demonstrated two-dimensional beam steering with switching times as low as 1.6 nanoseconds.
- Leveraged strong light-matter interactions in the atomically thin semiconductor.
Conclusions:
- The developed device represents a new class of atomically thin optical systems.
- This technology paves the way for rapidly switchable beam arrays and quantum metasurfaces at the nanoscale.
