Mohammad Nur-E-Alam

Plasmon-mediated magneto-optical transparency

Magnetic field control of light is among the most intriguing methods for modulation of light intensity and polarization on sub-nanosecond timescales. The implementation in nanostructured hybrid materials provides a remarkable increase of magneto-optical effects. However, so far only the enhancement of already known effects has been demonstrated in such materials. Here we postulate a novel magneto-optical phenomenon that originates solely from suitably designed nanostructured metal-dielectric material, the so-called magneto-plasmonic crystal. In this material, an incident light excites coupled plasmonic oscillations and a waveguide mode. An in-plane magnetic field allows excitation of an orthogonally polarized waveguide mode that modifies optical spectrum of the magneto-plasmonic crystal and increases its transparency. The experimentally achieved light intensity modulation reaches 24%. As the effect can potentially exceed 100%, it may have great importance for applied nanophotonics. Further, the effect allows manipulating and exciting waveguide modes by a magnetic field and light of proper polarization.

Tuning of the transverse magneto-optical Kerr effect in magneto-plasmonic crystals

The spectral properties of the transverse magneto-optical Kerr effect (TMOKE) in periodic metal-dielectric hybrid structures are studied, in particular with respect to the achievable magnitude. It is shown that the TMOKE is sensitive to the magneto-optical activity of the bismuth-substituted rare-earth iron garnet, which is used as a dielectric material in the investigated structures. For samples with larger Bi substitution level and, consequently, larger gyration

Annealing behaviour and crystal structure of RF-sputtered Bi-substituted dysprosium iron-garnet films having excess co-sputtered Bi-oxide content

We investigate the magneto-optic properties, crystal structure and annealing behaviour of nano-composite media with record-high magneto-optic quality exceeding the levels reported so far in sputtered iron-garnet films. Bi-substituted dysprosium–gallium iron-garnet films having excess bismuth oxide content are deposited using RF co-sputtering, and a range of garnet materials are crystallized using conventional oven-annealing processes. We report, for the first time ever, the results of optimization of thermal processing regimes for various high-performance magneto-optic iron-garnet compositions synthesized and describe the evolution of the optical and magneto-optical properties of garnet-Bi-oxide composite-material films occurring during the annealing processes. The crystallization temperature boundaries of the system (BiDy)3(FeGa)5O12 : Bi2O3 are presented. We also report the results of x-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy studies of this recently developed class of high-performance magneto-optic composites. Our hypothesis of iron oxides being the cause of excess optical absorption in sputtered Bi-iron-garnet films is confirmed experimentally.

Spectrally-selective all-inorganic scattering luminophores for solar energy-harvesting clear glass windows

All-inorganic visibly-transparent energy-harvesting clear laminated glass windows are the most practical solution to boosting building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) energy outputs significantly while reducing cooling- and heating-related energy consumption in buildings. By incorporating luminophore materials into lamination interlayers and using spectrally-selective thin-film coatings in conjunction with CuInSe2 solar cells, most of the visible solar radiation can be transmitted through the glass window with minimum attenuation while ultraviolet (UV) radiation is down-converted and routed together with a significant part of infrared radiation to the edges for collection by solar cells. Experimental results demonstrate a 10 cm × 10 cm vertically-placed energy-harvesting clear glass panel of transparency exceeding 60%, invisible solar energy attenuation greater than 90% and electrical power output near 30 Wp/m2 mainly generated by infrared (IR) and UV radiations. These results open the way for the realization of large-area visibly-transparent energy-harvesting clear glass windows for BIPV systems.

Synthesis, Characteristics, and Material Properties Dataset of Bi:DyIG-Oxide Garnet-Type Nanocomposites

The fabrication, annealing crystallization processes, and material properties of (Bi,Dy)3(Fe,Ga)5O12:Bi2O3 nanocomposites are investigated and summarized. The stoichiometry of these nanocomposites is optimized for magnetooptic applications using the approach of stoichiometry adjustment (implemented by means of varying RF power densities applied to the sputtering targets used to prepare the nanocomposite thin films). The crystallization processes for all developed batches of as-deposited films are carried out by annealing runs at different temperatures and process durations. This paper describes the methodologies used to optimize the compositions (by calculating the volumetric fractions of excess bismuth oxide to be mixed with the garnet-stoichiometry species during cosputtering processes) and to obtain the optical and magnetooptical properties data and presents the materials properties summary of garnet-bismuth oxide thin film composites as well.

Photonic microstructures for energy-generating clear glass and net-zero energy buildings

Transparent energy-harvesting windows are emerging as practical building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), capable of generating electricity while simultaneously reducing heating and cooling demands. By incorporating spectrally-selective diffraction gratings as light deflecting structures of high visible transparency into lamination interlayers and using improved spectrally-selective thin-film coatings, most of the visible solar radiation can be transmitted through the glass windows with minimum attenuation. At the same time, the ultraviolet (UV) and a part of incident solar infrared (IR) radiation energy are converted and/or deflected geometrically towards the panel edge for collection by CuInSe2 solar cells. Experimental results show power conversion efficiencies in excess of 3.04% in 10 cm × 10 cm vertically-placed clear glass panels facing direct sunlight, and up to 2.08% in 50 cm × 50 cm installation-ready framed window systems. These results confirm the emergence of a new class of solar window system ready for industrial application.

Transverse magnetic field impact on waveguide modes of photonic crystals

This Letter presents a theoretical and experimental study of waveguide modes of one-dimensional magneto-photonic crystals magnetized in the in-plane direction. It is shown that the propagation constants of the TM waveguide modes are sensitive to the transverse magnetization and the spectrum of the transverse magneto-optical Kerr effect has resonant features at mode excitation frequencies. Two types of structures are considered: a non-magnetic photonic crystal with an additional magnetic layer on top and a magneto-photonic crystal with a magnetic layer within each period. We found that the magneto-optical non-reciprocity effect is greater in the first case: it has a magnitude of δ∼10-4, while the second structure type demonstrates δ∼10-5 only, due to the higher asymmetry of the claddings of the magnetic layer. Experimental observations show resonant features in the optical and magneto-optical Kerr effect spectra. The measured dispersion properties are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions. An amplitude of light intensity modulation of up to 2.5% was observed for waveguide mode excitation within the magnetic top layer of the non-magnetic photonic crystal structure. The presented theoretical approach may be utilized for the design of magneto-optical sensors and modulators requiring pre-determined spectral features.

Garnet multilayer thin film structure with magnetostatically-altered and improved magnetic properties prepared by RF magnetron sputtering

We prepare an all-garnet multilayer film structure by sandwiching a magneto-soft garnet material in between two magneto-hard garnet materials with high bismuth substitution levels using RF magnetron sputtering technique and investigate the microstructure and the effects of magnetostatic inter-layer coupling on magnetic properties. Both types of the Bi-substituted magneto-optic garnet materials used possess excellent optical, magnetic and magneto-optical properties suitable for the application in different new and emerging technologies in optics and photonics. Garnet layers of composition type Bi2Dy1Fe4Ga1O12 have strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and Bi1.8Lu1.2Fe3.6Al1.4O12 magneto-soft layer features magnetization behavior similar to that of in-plane magnetized films. The all-garnet magnetostatically-coupled multilayer structure fabricated demonstrates an attractive combination of low coercive force and high uniaxial magnetic anisotropy, which is extremely useful for applications in nanophotonics, optical sensors and isolators.

Magnetic heterostructures with low coercivity for high-performance magneto-optic devices

In this work, we analyse the method of forming magneto-optically active heterostructures based on magnetic layers with different magnetic properties. Layers of one type possess a high effective constant of uniaxial magnetic anisotropy K ∗ u for which the condition K ∗ u = Ku − 2πM 2 s > 0 is fulfilled, where Ku is the constant of uniaxial magnetic anisotropy and 2πM 2 s is the demagnetizing energy, and layers of the second type used possess in-plane or quasi-in-plane magnetization, in which the condition K ∗ u = Ku − 2πM 2 s < 0 holds true. The layers of the first type, which we refer to as layers of positive effective uniaxial magnetic anisotropy, may have the composition Bi2Dy1Fe4Ga1O12 and the layers of second type the composition Bi3Fe5O12, which may have very high magneto-optic (MO) figure of merit and are therefore very attractive for the development of MO transparencies and ultra-fast switches. We discuss the optimization of triple-layer structure parameters aimed at achieving a high MO figure of merit simultaneously with low coercivity and high remanent magnetization and possessing rectangular hysteresis loops. The results of the experimental study of the MO properties achieved in garnet heterostructures fabricated using RF sputtering are also described. We show that the proposed paradigm of using new magnetic material combinations demonstrating significantly improved magnetic and MO properties may be realized when working with heterostructures based on Bi-substituted ferrite garnets grown on (1 1 1)-oriented garnet substrates. (Some figures may appear in colour only in the online journal)

Tunable Optical Nanocavity of Iron-garnet with a Buried Metal Layer

We report on the fabrication and characterization of a novel magnetophotonic structure designed as iron garnet based magneto-optical nanoresonator cavity constrained by two noble metal mirrors. Since the iron garnet layer requires annealing at high temperatures, the fabrication process can be rather challenging. Special approaches for the protection of metal layers against oxidation and morphological changes along with a special plasma-assisted polishing of the iron garnet layer surface were used to achieve a 10-fold enhancement of the Faraday rotation angle (up to 10.8°/µm) within a special resonance peak of 12 nm (FWHM) linewidth at a wavelength of 772 nm, in the case of a resonator with two silver mirrors. These structures are promising for tunable nanophotonics applications, in particular, they can be used as magneto-optical (MO) metal-insulator-metal waveguides and modulators.