Zero-Order Second Harmonic Generation from AlGaAs-on-Insulator Metasurfaces

All-dielectric metasurfaces consist of two-dimensional arrangements of nanoresonators and are of paramount importance for shaping polarization, phase, and amplitude of both fundamental and harmonic optical waves. To date, their reported nonlinear optical properties have been dominated by local features of the individual nanoresonators. However, collective responses typical of either Mie-resonant metamaterials or photonic crystals can potentially boost the control over such optical properties. In this work we demonstrate the generation of a second harmonic optical wave with zero-order diffraction, from a metasurface made out of AlGaAs-on-AlOx nanocylinders arranged with spatial period comparable to the pump telecom wavelength. Upon normal incidence of the pump beam, the modulation of Mie resonances via Bragg scattering at both fundamental and second harmonic frequencies enables paraxial second harmonic light generation by diffraction into the zero order, with a 50-fold increase in detected power within a solid angle of 5 degrees. Exquisite control of a higher harmonic wavefront can be thus achieved in all-dielectric nonlinear metasurfaces, with potential applications for on-axis optical systems.