Near-Infrared Spatial Self-Phase Modulation in Ultrathin Niobium Carbide Nanosheets

Frontiers in Physics

Jun He¹  Li Zhou¹  Si Xiao¹  Yi-lin He¹  Yi-duo Wang¹  Xue-jun Zhang¹  Ying-wei Wang¹  Yu-lan Dong² 

[1] Hunan Key Laboratory of Nanophotonics and Devices, School of Physics and Electronics, Central South University, Changsha, China;Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Statistical Learning and Intelligent Computation, School of Mathematics and Statistics, Hunan University of Technology and Business, Changsha, China;

关键词: spatial self-phase modulation;    niobium carbide (NbC);    non-linear optics;    2D materials;    infrared rage;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fphy.2021.674820

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Spatial self-phase modulation (SSPM) as a purely coherent non-linear optical effect (also known as Kerr effect) can support strong broadband phase modulation, which is essential for all-optical applications. Besides this, the increasing use of two-dimensional (2D) materials opens up new prospects in this field of research. In this work, we report a broadband SSPM response from 2D transition metal carbonitrides (MXenes) and Nb2C, arising in the near-infrared (1,550 nm) range. Based on the SSPM measurements of few-layer Nb2C nanosheets, the third-order non-linear optical parameters of Nb2C, including the non-linear refractive index n2 and susceptibility χ(3), were determined at 400, 800, 1,300, and 1,550 nm. Moreover, the physics mechanism of the dynamic formation process of SSPM diffraction rings was exploited. The formation time of SSPM diffraction rings can be divided into two typical parts which correspond to the polarization and reorientation of 2D Nb2C nanosheets. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate the nonreciprocal light propagation at wavelengths of 1,300 and 1,550 nm by constructing an Nb2C/water hybrid structure. Our results reveal strong optical phase modulation of Nb2C in the infrared region, thus showing the great potential of MXene materials for use in passive photonic devices.

【 授权许可】

CC BY