Light can exert radiation pressure on any object it encounters and that resulting optical force can be used to manipulate particles. It is commonly assumed that light should move a particle forward and indeed an incident plane wave with a photon momentum ħk can only push any particle, independent of its properties, in the direction of k. Here we demonstrate, using full-wave simulations, that an anomalous lateral force can be induced in a direction perpendicular to that of the incident photon momentum if a chiral particle is placed above a substrate that does not break any left-right symmetry. Analytical theory shows that the lateral force emerges from the coupling between structural chirality (the handedness of the chiral particle) and the light reflected from the substrate surface. Such coupling induces a sideway force that pushes chiral particles with opposite handedness in opposite directions.

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Lateral optical force on chiral particles near a surface.

This study proposes an ultrathin chiral metamaterial slab stacked with twisted complementary split-ring resonators (CSRRs) for highly efficient broadband polarization transformation. The polarization of linearly polarized electromagnetic waves can be rotated in a specific direction by passing it through such a slab having a thickness of about one-tenth the operational wavelength. Microwave experiments verified the theoretically predicted conversion efficiency of up to 96% covering a bandwidth of 24% of the central wavelength. CSRRs with circular symmetry provide increased interlayer coupling strength, which produces a high-efficiency broadband response and strong isolation of the original polarization.

Broadband polarization transformation via enhanced asymmetric transmission through arrays of twisted complementary split-ring resonators

The efficient analysis and engineering of the polarization state is imperative in diverse disciplines, including physics, materials science, biology and quantum optics. For instance, scientists apply circularly polarized light to manipulate the spin state of electron for quantum information processing. Chrysina gloriosa (jeweled beetles) under left-handed circularly polarized light illumination appear more brilliant than those under right-handed circularly polarized light illumination, and circular dichroism spectroscopy is of critical importance to identify the structure of chiral molecules. Metallic mirrors are basic elements and widely used in optical setup to control the path of light. However, the state of circular polarization is reversed, or even degrades to elliptical polarization when it is reflected off a surface. Therefore, the original handedness of the optical signals is lost after multiple reflections in a complex optical system. Here, we propose and demonstrate a new concept of circular dichroism metamirrors, which enables selective, near-perfect reflection of designated circularly polarized light without reversing its handedness, yet complete absorption of the other polarization state. Such a metamirror can be considered as the optical analogy of Chrysina gloriosa in nature, while exhibits nearly maximal efficiency. A general method to design the circular dichroism metasmirror is presented under the framework of Jones calculus. It is analytically shown that the building block of such a metamirror needs to simultaneously break the n-fold rotational (n > 2) symmetry and mirror symmetry. By combining two layers of anisotropic metamaterial structures, we design a circular dichroism metamirror in the mid-infrared region, which shows perfect reflectance (94.7%) for left-handed circularly polarized light without reversing its handedness, while almost completely absorbs (99.3%) right-handed circularly polarized light. These findings offer new methodology to implement novel photonic devices for a variety of applications, including polarimetric imaging, molecular spectroscopy and quantum information processing.

Circular dichroism metamirrors with near-perfect extinction

We have previously shown that square arrays of three-dimensional gold helices can serve as compact broadband circular polarizers. Here, we show by heuristic reasoning supported by numerical calculations that the bandwidth of the device can realistically be increased to 1.5 octaves by tapering the gold-helix radius. The tapering also improves the extinction ratio. Depending on the side from which light impinges onto the tapered helices, the polarization conversions are different. Therefore, the structure is either optimal as polarizer or as analyzer. Corresponding structures for the infrared spectral range are fabricated by direct laser writing and gold electroplating.

Tapered gold-helix metamaterials as improved circular polarizers

We report the existence of Weyl points in a class of noncentral symmetric metamaterials, which has time reversal symmetry, but does not have inversion symmetry due to chiral coupling between electric and magnetic fields. This class of metamaterial exhibits either type-I or type-II Weyl points depending on its nonlocal response. We also provide a physical realization of such metamaterial consisting of an array of metal wires in the shape of elliptical helices which exhibits type-II Weyl points.

Hyperbolic Weyl Point in Reciprocal Chiral Metamaterials.

We developed a theory to compute and interpret the photonic band structure of a periodic array of metallic helices. Interesting features of the band structure include longitudinal and circularly polarized eigenmodes and wide polarization gap. The helical symmetry also implies unusual features such as negative group velocity bands at both sides of the polarization gap and band crossings pinned at the zone boundary. A direct proof of negative refraction via a chiral route is achieved for the first time by measuring the spatial beam shift through a slab of the three-dimensional helices.

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Xiaotong Yu

Papers

Theory and experimental realization of negative refraction in a metallic helix array.