2023/09/14 by Qian Liang, Liang, Qian, Xuekai Ma +15 · 1 citation
Computer Science · Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Mechanical and Optical Resonators #Neural Networks and Reservoir Computing #Optics (physics.optics) #Strong Light-Matter Interactions
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2309.07652
openalex publication_date 2023/09/14 · openalex created_date 2023/09/16 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The control and active manipulation of spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in photonic systems is fundamental in the development of modern spin optics and topological photonic devices. Here, we demonstrate the control of an artificial Rashba-Dresselhaus (RD) SOC mediated by photochemical reactions in a microcavity filled with an organic single-crystal of photochromic phase-change character. Splitting of the circular polarization components of the optical modes induced by photonic RD SOC is observed experimentally in momentum space. By applying an ultraviolet light beam, we control the spatial molecular orientation through a photochemical reaction and with that we control the energies of the photonic modes. This way we realize a reversible conversion of spin-splitting of the optical modes with different energies, leading to an optically controlled switching between circularly and linearly polarized emission from our device. Our strategy of in situ and reversible engineering of SOC induced by a light field provides a promising approach to actively design and manipulate synthetic gauge fields towards future on-chip integration in photonics and topological photonic devices.