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Hybrid guided space-time optical modes in unpatterned films

Author

Listed:
  • Abbas Shiri

    (University of Central Florida
    University of Central Florida)

  • Murat Yessenov

    (University of Central Florida)

  • Scott Webster

    (University of Central Florida)

  • Kenneth L. Schepler

    (University of Central Florida)

  • Ayman F. Abouraddy

    (University of Central Florida
    University of Central Florida)

Abstract

Light is confined transversely and delivered axially in a waveguide. However, waveguides are lossy static structures whose modal characteristics are fundamentally determined by their boundary conditions. Here we show that unpatterned planar waveguides can provide low-loss two-dimensional waveguiding by using space-time wave packets, which are unique one-dimensional propagation-invariant pulsed optical beams. We observe hybrid guided space-time modes that are index-guided in one transverse dimension and localized along the unbounded dimension. We confirm that these fields enable overriding the boundary conditions by varying post-fabrication the group index of the fundamental mode in a 2-μm-thick, 25-mm-long silica film, achieved by modifying the field’s spatio-temporal structure. Tunability of the group index over an unprecedented range from 1.26 to 1.77 is verified while maintaining a spectrally flat zero-dispersion profile. Our work paves the way to utilizing space-time wave packets in on-chip platforms, and enable phase-matching strategies that circumvent restrictions due to intrinsic material properties.

Suggested Citation

  • Abbas Shiri & Murat Yessenov & Scott Webster & Kenneth L. Schepler & Ayman F. Abouraddy, 2020. "Hybrid guided space-time optical modes in unpatterned films," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-20009-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20009-2
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