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Uncovering Maximum Chirality in Resonant Nanostructures
Weijin Chen1,2, Zhenyu Wang1, Maxim V Gorkunov3,4
1Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, 230027 Hefei, China.
Nano Letters
|July 23, 2024
Summary
Researchers uncovered a microscopic theory for maximizing chirality in nanostructures. This discovery offers a general strategy for designing photonic structures with enhanced chiroptical responses for various applications.
Area of Science:
- Photonics
- Chirality
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Engineering chiroptical responses of nanostructures typically relies on empirical methods and simulations.
- A general strategy to maximize intrinsic chirality in subwavelength photonic structures is not well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a microscopic theory for understanding and enhancing chiral responses in resonant nanostructures.
- To identify the key factors responsible for strong chirality in photonic structures.
Main Methods:
- Formulating a microscopic theory to explain chiral responses.
- Investigating the role of reactive helicity density at resonance.
- Applying the concept to planar photonic crystal slabs and metasurfaces with broken mirror symmetry via bilayer design.
Main Results:
- The reactive helicity density is identified as critical for achieving maximum chirality at resonance.
- A general design principle for maximizing chirality in resonant nanostructures is revealed.
- The theory is successfully demonstrated on bilayer photonic crystal slabs and metasurfaces.
Conclusions:
- The study provides a general recipe for designing photonic structures with maximized chirality.
- Findings pave the way for advancements in chiral sensing, chiral emitters/detectors, and chiral quantum optics.
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