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Main Authors: Matthaiakakis, Nikolaos, Droulias, Sotiris, Kakarantzas, George
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.06809
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author Matthaiakakis, Nikolaos
Droulias, Sotiris
Kakarantzas, George
author_facet Matthaiakakis, Nikolaos
Droulias, Sotiris
Kakarantzas, George
contents The evolution of optical technologies necessitates advanced solutions for selective and dynamic manipulation of light's degrees of freedom, including amplitude, phase, polarization, wavelength, and angular momentum. Metamaterials can offer such control through the interplay between the intrinsic material and geometrical properties of nanostructures or extrinsically through excitation and detection symmetry breaking, leading to customizable performance. However, achieving dynamic control over multiple light degrees of freedom remains a challenge. To address existing limitations, we present a novel dual-stack metamaterial design capable of broadband ultrafast control over amplitude, phase, polarization, spin angular momentum, and handedness of light mediated by two independently controlled nanoribbon layers that enable flexible and selective mode-mixing in both reflection and transmission. Through a combination of a thermal response model and Finite-Difference Time-Domain simulations, we investigate graphene as a suitable material for the metamaterial design, leveraging the intrinsic optical properties of graphene and its tunable conductivity through electrostatic gating and ultrafast optical excitation, achieving selective control over multiple light degrees of freedom at ultrafast timescales. This selective ultrafast mode-mixing significantly advances the capabilities of high-speed photonic systems, paving the way for compact, high data-rate optical technologies essential for future applications.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_06809
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
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spellingShingle Ultrafast All-optical control of Multiple Light Degrees of Freedom through Mode-mixing in a Graphene Nanoribbon Metamaterial
Matthaiakakis, Nikolaos
Droulias, Sotiris
Kakarantzas, George
Optics
The evolution of optical technologies necessitates advanced solutions for selective and dynamic manipulation of light's degrees of freedom, including amplitude, phase, polarization, wavelength, and angular momentum. Metamaterials can offer such control through the interplay between the intrinsic material and geometrical properties of nanostructures or extrinsically through excitation and detection symmetry breaking, leading to customizable performance. However, achieving dynamic control over multiple light degrees of freedom remains a challenge. To address existing limitations, we present a novel dual-stack metamaterial design capable of broadband ultrafast control over amplitude, phase, polarization, spin angular momentum, and handedness of light mediated by two independently controlled nanoribbon layers that enable flexible and selective mode-mixing in both reflection and transmission. Through a combination of a thermal response model and Finite-Difference Time-Domain simulations, we investigate graphene as a suitable material for the metamaterial design, leveraging the intrinsic optical properties of graphene and its tunable conductivity through electrostatic gating and ultrafast optical excitation, achieving selective control over multiple light degrees of freedom at ultrafast timescales. This selective ultrafast mode-mixing significantly advances the capabilities of high-speed photonic systems, paving the way for compact, high data-rate optical technologies essential for future applications.
title Ultrafast All-optical control of Multiple Light Degrees of Freedom through Mode-mixing in a Graphene Nanoribbon Metamaterial
topic Optics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.06809