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Mid-infrared chirality and chiral thermal emission from twisted α-MoO3
Michael T Enders1, Mitradeep Sarkar1, Evgenia Klironomou1
1ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, Castelldefels, Spain.
Nature Communications
|December 12, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed intrinsically chiral materials from twisted van der Waals crystals, enabling efficient generation of chiral infrared light without complex lithography. This breakthrough offers new possibilities for optical devices.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Optics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Chirality in the mid-infrared spectrum is vital for physical, chemical, and biological applications.
- Existing methods for generating chiral infrared light often require complex, lithography-dependent metamaterial structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally demonstrate that twisted bilayers of van der Waals crystals, like alpha-molybdenum trioxide (α-MoO3), are intrinsically chiral.
- To show these heterostructures can generate chiral light via thermal emission (incandescence).
Main Methods:
- Utilizing the natural optical anisotropy of van der Waals crystals.
- Fabricating microscopic twisted bilayers of α-MoO3.
- Performing direct thermal emission measurements on these bilayers.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated that twisted α-MoO3 bilayers break inversion-rotation symmetry, confirming intrinsic chirality.
- Observed the generation of chiral light through incandescence from these twisted bilayers.
- Showcased a lithography-free approach to chiral light generation.
Conclusions:
- Twisted van der Waals bilayers provide a scalable platform for creating chiral optical sources.
- This method bypasses the need for intricate lithography required by traditional metamaterials.
- Offers potential for large-scale chiral filters and thermal emitters in the mid-infrared range.
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