Nanoscale optical nonreciprocity with nonlinear metasurfaces

Optical nonreciprocity is manifested as a difference in transmission of light between a pair of modes for the opposite directions of excitation. Nonreciprocal optics is traditionally realized with relatively bulky components such as optical isolators based on the Faraday rotation [1,2]. This represents a roadblock to the future miniaturization and integration of optical systems requiring the development of subwavelength nonreciprocal components. Here we demonstrate nonreciprocal transmission through a half-a-micron-thick silicon metasurface hybridized with vanadium dioxide (VO2) layer. Reciprocity is broken by VO2 undergoing a phase transition from its insulating to conductive phase. The phase transition is induced all-optically by an incident light, and it is designed to occur under different conditions for the opposite directions of illumination. Resonant response of the metasurface enhances nonreciprocity. Such hybrid metasurfaces can exhibit nonreciprocity at intensities as low as 150 W/cm2. Our demonstration brings optical nonreciprocity concepts to the realm of nanoscale science.

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