Photonic quantum Hall effect and multiplexed light sources of large orbital angular momenta

The quantum Hall effect involves electrons confined to a two-dimensional plane subject to a perpendicular magnetic field, but it also has a photonic analogue 1 – 6 . Using heterostructures based on structured semiconductors on a magnetic substrate, we introduce compact and integrated coherent light...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature physics 2021-06, Vol.17 (6), p.700-703
Main Authors: Bahari, Babak, Hsu, Liyi, Pan, Si Hui, Preece, Daryl, Ndao, Abdoulaye, El Amili, Abdelkrim, Fainman, Yeshaiahu, Kanté, Boubacar
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
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639/624
639/624/1020
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Angular momentum
Atomic
Circular orbits
Classical and Continuum Physics
Coherent light
Complex Systems
Condensed Matter Physics
Electromagnetism
Electrons
Heterostructures
Letter
Light
Light sources
Magnetic fields
Magnetic semiconductors
Mathematical and Computational Physics
Molecular
Multiplexing
Optical and Plasma Physics
Photonic crystals
Physics
Physics and Astronomy
Quantum Hall effect
Quantum numbers
Substrates
Theoretical
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Summary:The quantum Hall effect involves electrons confined to a two-dimensional plane subject to a perpendicular magnetic field, but it also has a photonic analogue 1 – 6 . Using heterostructures based on structured semiconductors on a magnetic substrate, we introduce compact and integrated coherent light sources of large orbital angular momenta 7 based on the photonic quantum Hall effect 1 – 6 . The photonic quantum Hall effect enables the direct and integrated generation of coherent orbital angular momenta beams of large quantum numbers from light travelling in leaky circular orbits at the interface between two topologically dissimilar photonic structures. Our work gives direct access to the infinite number of orbital angular momenta basis elements and will thus enable multiplexed quantum light sources for communication and imaging applications. A topological photonic crystal design directly generates light that carries orbital angular momentum with high quantum numbers. The beam contains several different states at the same time, promising integrated and multiplexed light sources.
ISSN:1745-2473
1745-2481
DOI:10.1038/s41567-021-01165-8