Phototransformation of achiral metasurfaces into handedness- selectable transient chiral media

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Kim, Andrew; Goswami, Anjan; Taghinejad, Mohammad; Cai, Wenshan
• 署名单位: University System of Georgia; Georgia Institute of Technology; Stanford University; University System of Georgia; Georgia Institute of Technology
• 刊物名称: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0027-12126
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2318713121
• 发表日期: 2024-03-26
• 关键词: hot plasmonic electrons; optical chirality; nanostructures; DYNAMICS

摘要

Chirality is a geometric property describing the lack of mirror symmetry. This unique feature enables photonic spin- selectivity in light-matter interaction, which is of great significance in stereochemistry, drug development, quantum optics, and optical polarization control. The versatile control of optical geometry renders optical metamaterials as an effective platform for engineered chiral properties at prescribed spectral regimes. Unfortunately, geometry- imposed restrictions only allow one circular polarization state of photons to effectively interact with chiral meta- structures. This limitation motivates the idea of discovering alternative techniques for dynamically reconfiguring the chiroptical responses of metamaterials in a fast and facile manner. Here, we demonstrate an approach that enables optical, sub- picosecond conversion of achiral meta- structures to transient chiral media in the visible regime with desired handedness upon the inhomogeneous generation of plasmonic hot electrons. As a proof of concept, we utilize linearly polarized laser pulse to demonstrate near- complete conversion of spin sensitivity in an achiral meta- platform-a functionality yet achieved in a non- mechanical fashion. Owing to the generation, diffusion, and relaxation dynamics of hot electrons, the demonstrated technique for all- optical creation of chirality is inherently fast, opening new avenues for ultrafast spectro- temporal construction of chiral platforms with on - demand spin- selectivity. Significance Plasmonic metasurfaces, periodic arrangements of noble metal nanostructures, can produce strong chiroptical effects. Chiral metasurfaces allow the utilization of chiroptical effects for controlling circularly polarized light or chirality detection of biomolecules. Switching between the enantiomeric states for chiral plasmonic nanostructures, however, is a difficult task where most attempts are either limited to slow geometric reconfiguration or fast yet incomplete chiral inversion. In this work, we simultaneously achieve fast and complete chiral inversion via all- optical construction of chiral metasurface, where the handedness can be assigned on- demand by tailored excitation of spatially inhomogeneous hot- electron populations. This work enables the utilization of dynamic chiroptical effects in a single platform with a subpicosecond operation speed.