Amit Mizrahi

Thresholdless nanoscale coaxial lasers

The effects of cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED), caused by the interaction of matter and the electromagnetic field in subwavelength resonant structures, have been the subject of intense research in recent years. The generation of coherent radiation by subwavelength resonant structures has attracted considerable interest, not only as a means of exploring the QED effects that emerge at small volume, but also for its potential in applications ranging from on-chip optical communication to ultrahigh-resolution and high-throughput imaging, sensing and spectroscopy. One such strand of research is aimed at developing the ‘ultimate’ nanolaser: a scalable, low-threshold, efficient source of radiation that operates at room temperature and occupies a small volume on a chip. Different resonators have been proposed for the realization of such a nanolaser—microdisk and photonic bandgap resonators, and, more recently, metallic, metallo-dielectric and plasmonic resonators. But progress towards realizing the ultimate nanolaser has been hindered by the lack of a systematic approach to scaling down the size of the laser cavity without significantly increasing the threshold power required for lasing. Here we describe a family of coaxial nanostructured cavities that potentially solve the resonator scalability challenge by means of their geometry and metal composition. Using these coaxial nanocavities, we demonstrate the smallest room-temperature, continuous-wave telecommunications-frequency laser to date. In addition, by further modifying the design of these coaxial nanocavities, we achieve thresholdless lasing with a broadband gain medium. In addition to enabling laser applications, these nanoscale resonators should provide a powerful platform for the development of other QED devices and metamaterials in which atom–field interactions generate new functionalities.

Low threshold gain metal coated laser nanoresonators

We introduce a low refractive index layer between the metal and the gain medium in metal-coated laser resonators and demonstrate that it can significantly reduce the dissipation losses. Analysis of a gain medium waveguide shows that for a given waveguide radius, the low index layer has an optimal thickness for which the lasing threshold gain is minimal. The waveguide analysis is used for the design of a novel three-dimensional cylindrical resonator that is smaller than the vacuum wavelength in all three dimensions and exhibits a low enough threshold gain to lase at room temperature.

Dielectric laser accelerators

We describe recent advances in the study of particle acceleration using dielectric near-field structures driven by infrared lasers, which we refer to as Dielectric Laser Accelerators. Implications for high energy physics and other applications are discussed.

Integrated tunable CMOS laser

An integrated tunable CMOS laser for silicon photonics, operating at the C-band, and fabricated in a commercial CMOS foundry is presented. The III-V gain medium section is embedded in the silicon chip, and is hermetically sealed. The gain section is metal bonded to the silicon substrate creating low thermal resistance into the substrate and avoiding lattice mismatch problems. Optical characterization shows high performance in terms of side mode suppression ratio, relative intensity noise, and linewidth that is narrow enough for coherent communications.

Bragg reflection waveguides with a matching layer

It is demonstrated that Bragg reflection waveguides, either planar or cylindrical, can be designed to support a symmetric mode with a specified core field distribution, by adjusting the first layer width. Analytic expressions are given for this matching layer, which matches between the electromagnetic field in the core, and a Bragg mirror optimally designed for the mode. This adjustment may change significantly the characteristics of the waveguide. At the particular wavelength for which the waveguide is designed, the electromagnetic field is identical to that of a partially dielectric loaded metallic or perfect magnetic waveguide, rather than a pure metallic waveguide. Either a planar or coaxial Bragg waveguide is shown to support a mode that has a TEM field distribution in the hollow region.

Negative radiation pressure on gain medium structures

We demonstrate negative radiation pressure on gain medium structures, such that light amplification may cause a nanoscale body to be pulled toward a light source. Optically large gain medium structures, such as slabs and spheres, as well as deep subwavelength bodies, may experience this phenomenon. The threshold gain for radiation pressure reversal is obtained analytically for Rayleigh spheres, thin cylinders, and thin slabs. This threshold vanishes when the gain medium structure is surrounded by a medium with a matched refractive index, thus eliminating the positive scattering forces.

Mirror manipulation by attractive and repulsive forces of guided waves.

Two mirrors guiding laser light may experience an either attractive or repulsive force, according to the type of eigenmode they guide. We propose a method for the control over the motion of a mirror by changing the operation wavelength along the dispersion curve of the mode. In addition, a novel method for trapping a mirror in a stable equilibrium, based on a superposition of two modes, is presented. The mirror is then trapped by being exposed to light only from one of its sides.

Metamaterials for enhanced polarization conversion in plasmonic excitation.

Surface plasmons efficient excitation is typically expected to be strongly constrained to transverse magnetic (TM) polarized incidence, as demonstrated so far, due to its intrinsic TM polarization. We report a designer plasmonic metamaterial that is engineered in a deep subwavelength scale in visible optical frequencies to overcome this fundamental limitation, and allows transverse electric (TE) polarized incidence to be strongly coupled to surface plasmons. The experimental verification, which is consistent with the analytical and numerical models, demonstrates this enhanced TE-to-plasmon coupling with efficiency close to 100%, which is far from what is possible through naturally available materials. This discovery will help to efficiently utilize the energy fallen into TE polarization and drastically increase overall excitation efficiency of future plasmonic devices.

Two-slab all-optical spring

It is demonstrated that a waveguide consisting of two dielectric slabs may become an all-optical spring when guiding a superposition of two transverse evanescent modes. Both slabs are transversally trapped in stable equilibrium due to the optical forces developed. A condition for stable equilibrium on the wavenumbers of the two modes is expressed analytically. The spring constant characterizing the system is shown to have a maximal value as a function of the equilibrium distance between the slabs and their width.

Dielectric shielded nanoscale patch laser resonators

Dielectric shielded nanoscale patch laser resonators are introduced. Low-index dielectric shield layers surrounding a high-index core are shown to significantly reduce both metal and radiation losses. Structures suitable for both optical and electrical pumping and smaller than the vacuum wavelength in all three dimensions are shown to have a low enough threshold gain to lase at room temperature. Shifting the gain medium core provides control over the radiation pattern of the resonator and enables coupling of the laser light into a waveguide, opening opportunities for chipscale integration.