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A robust and tuneable mid-infrared optical switch enabled by bulk Dirac fermions

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  • Chunhui Zhu

    (School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University
    Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University)

  • Fengqiu Wang

    (School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University
    Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University)

  • Yafei Meng

    (School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University
    Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University)

  • Xiang Yuan

    (Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University
    Fudan University)

  • Faxian Xiu

    (Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University
    Fudan University)

  • Hongyu Luo

    (School of Optoelectronic Information, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China)

  • Yazhou Wang

    (School of Optoelectronic Information, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China)

  • Jianfeng Li

    (School of Optoelectronic Information, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China)

  • Xinjie Lv

    (Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University
    National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and School of Physics, Nanjing University)

  • Liang He

    (School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University
    Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University)

  • Yongbing Xu

    (School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University
    Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University)

  • Junfeng Liu

    (South University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Chao Zhang

    (School of Physics and Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials, University of Wollongong)

  • Yi Shi

    (School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University
    Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University)

  • Rong Zhang

    (School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University
    Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University)

  • Shining Zhu

    (Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University
    National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and School of Physics, Nanjing University)

Abstract

Pulsed lasers operating in the mid-infrared (3–20 μm) are important for a wide range of applications in sensing, spectroscopy, imaging and communications. Despite recent advances with mid-infrared gain platforms, the lack of a capable pulse generation mechanism remains a significant technological challenge. Here we show that bulk Dirac fermions in molecular beam epitaxy grown crystalline Cd3As2, a three-dimensional topological Dirac semimetal, constitutes an exceptional ultrafast optical switching mechanism for the mid-infrared. Significantly, we show robust and effective tuning of the scattering channels of Dirac fermions via an element doping approach, where photocarrier relaxation times are found flexibly controlled over an order of magnitude (from 8 ps to 800 fs at 4.5 μm). Our findings reveal the strong impact of Cr doping on ultrafast optical properties in Cd3As2 and open up the long sought parameter space crucial for the development of compact and high-performance mid-infrared ultrafast sources.

Suggested Citation

  • Chunhui Zhu & Fengqiu Wang & Yafei Meng & Xiang Yuan & Faxian Xiu & Hongyu Luo & Yazhou Wang & Jianfeng Li & Xinjie Lv & Liang He & Yongbing Xu & Junfeng Liu & Chao Zhang & Yi Shi & Rong Zhang & Shini, 2017. "A robust and tuneable mid-infrared optical switch enabled by bulk Dirac fermions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-7, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms14111
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14111
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    Cited by:

    1. Junting Liu & Fang Yang & Junpeng Lu & Shuai Ye & Haowen Guo & Hongkun Nie & Jialin Zhang & Jingliang He & Baitao Zhang & Zhenhua Ni, 2022. "High output mode-locked laser empowered by defect regulation in 2D Bi2O2Se saturable absorber," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. Wei Lu & Zipu Fan & Yunkun Yang & Junchao Ma & Jiawei Lai & Xiaoming Song & Xiao Zhuo & Zhaoran Xu & Jing Liu & Xiaodong Hu & Shuyun Zhou & Faxian Xiu & Jinluo Cheng & Dong Sun, 2022. "Ultrafast photothermoelectric effect in Dirac semimetallic Cd3As2 revealed by terahertz emission," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.

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