2020/10/15 by Robin Lingstädt, Robin Lingstaedt, Nahid Talebi +7 · 26 citations
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Cathodoluminescence #Condensed matter physics #Exciton #Exciton-polaritons #Luminescence #Materials science #Nanophotonics #Optoelectronics #Photonics #Physics #Plasmonic and Surface Plasmon Research #Polariton #Strong Light-Matter Interactions #Topological Materials and Phenomena #cond-mat.mes-hall #physics.app-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1038/s43246-020-00108-9
published in Communications Materials 2(1) (Nature Portfolio)
arxiv created 2020/10/15 · openalex created_date 2020/10/22 · openalex publication_date 2021/01/04 · arxiv updated 2021/01/22 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Abstract Hyperbolic materials exhibit unique properties that enable intriguing applications in nanophotonics. The topological insulator Bi 2 Se 3 represents a natural hyperbolic optical medium, both in the THz and visible range. Here, using cathodoluminescence spectroscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy, we demonstrate that Bi 2 Se 3 supports room-temperature exciton polaritons and explore the behavior of hyperbolic edge exciton polaritons, which are hybrid modes resulting from the coupling of the polaritons bound to the upper and lower edges of Bi 2 Se 3 nanoplatelets. We compare Fabry-Pérot-like resonances emerging in edge polariton propagation along pristine and artificially structured edges and experimentally demonstrate the possibility to steer edge polaritons by means of grooves and nanocavities. The observed scattering of edge polaritons by defect structures is found to be in good agreement with finite-difference time-domain simulations. Our findings reveal the extraordinary capability of hyperbolic polariton propagation to cope with the presence of defects, providing an excellent basis for applications such as nanooptical circuitry, nanoscale cloaking and nanoscopic quantum technology.