Tunable unidirectional nonlinear emission from transition-metal-dichalcogenide metasurfaces

Nonlinear light sources are central to a myriad of applications, driving a quest for their miniaturisation down to the nanoscale. In this quest, nonlinear metasurfaces hold a great promise, as they enhance nonlinear effects through their resonant photonic environment and high refractive index, such as in high-index dielectric metasurfaces. However, despite the sub-diffractive operation of dielectric metasurfaces at the fundamental wave, this condition is not fulfilled for the nonlinearly generated harmonic waves, thereby all nonlinear metasurfaces to date emit multiple diffractive beams. Here, we demonstrate the enhanced single-beam second- and third-harmonic generation in a metasurface of crystalline transition-metal-dichalcogenide material, offering the highest refractive index. We show that the interplay between the resonances of the metasurface allows for tuning of the unidirectional second-harmonic radiation in forward or backward direction, not possible in any bulk nonlinear crystal. Our results open new opportunities for metasurface-based nonlinear light-sources, including nonlinear mirrors and entangled-photon generation. Though high-index dielectric metasurfaces are attractive due to their nonlinear effects, channelling of 2(nd) and 3(rd) harmonic generation into a single beam remains a challenge. The authors addressed this using transition-metal-dichalcogenide metasurfaces with tunable nonlinear emission direction.

Automated summary

Researchers have successfully demonstrated enhanced single-beam second- and third-harmonic generation in a metasurface made of crystalline transition-metal-dichalcogenide material, offering the highest refractive index. The resonances of the metasurface allow for tuning of the unidirectional second-harmonic radiation in a forward or backward direction, presenting new opportunities for metasurface-based nonlinear light sources.