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Dynamic switching from coherent perfect absorption to parametric amplification in a nonlinear spoof plasmonic
Wen Yi Cui1,2, Jingjing Zhang3,4, Yu Luo5
1State Key Laboratory of Millimeter Waves, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China.
Nature Communications
|April 1, 2024
Summary
This study introduces a novel nonlinear approach for simultaneous coherent perfect absorption (CPA) and parametric amplification (PA) in a single device. It enables dynamic switching between absorption and amplification for electromagnetic waves.
Area of Science:
- Electromagnetic wave manipulation
- Nonlinear optics
- Plasmonics
Background:
- Coherent perfect absorption (CPA) and amplification are converse phenomena for electromagnetic waves.
- Simultaneous realization is challenging due to precise loss/gain control.
- Existing methods struggle with dynamic switching between states.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and demonstrate a nonlinear approach for simultaneous CPA and parametric amplification (PA).
- To achieve dynamic switching between CPA and PA states in a single device.
- To relax stringent requirements of traditional linear CPA.
Main Methods:
- Designing a nonlinear spoof plasmonic waveguide.
- Utilizing nonlinear effects for simultaneous absorption and amplification.
- Experimentally demonstrating dynamic switching between CPA and PA states.
Main Results:
- Achieved simultaneous CPA and PA at the same frequency.
- Demonstrated dynamic switching from CPA to PA states.
- Measured output signal gain tunable from -33 dB to 22 dB over 9.2 wavelengths.
Conclusions:
- The nonlinear approach enables dynamic modulation of electromagnetic waves with a large amplification-to-absorption contrast.
- This method relaxes device dimension and material loss constraints compared to linear CPA.
- The proposed nonlinear plasmonic platform offers potential for on-chip systems and wireless communications.
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