Phonon‐polaritonics: enabling powerful capabilities for infrared photonics

作者：Stavroula Foteinopoulou, Ganga Chinna Rao Devarapu, Ganapathi Subramania, Sanjay Krishna, Daniel Wasserman · 发表于：Nanophotonics · 年份：2018 · DOI：10.1515/nanoph-2019-0232 · 被引用次数：199 · 研究领域：Thermal Radiation and Cooling Technologies、Plasmonic and Surface Plasmon Research、Strong Light-Matter Interactions

Abstract Here, we review the progress and most recent advances in phonon‐polaritonics, an emerging and growing field that has brought about a range of powerful possibilities for mid‐ to far‐infrared (IR) light. These extraordinary capabilities are enabled by the resonant coupling between the impinging light and the vibrations of the material lattice, known as phonon‐polaritons (PhPs). These PhPs yield a characteristic optical response in certain materials, occurring within an IR spectral window known as the reststrahlen band. In particular, these materials transition in the reststrahlen band from a high‐refractive‐index behavior, to a near‐perfect metal behavior, to a plasmonic behavior – typical of metals at optical frequencies. When anisotropic they may also possess unconventional photonic constitutive properties thought of as possible only with metamaterials. The recent surge in two‐dimensional (2D) material research has also enabled PhP responses with atomically‐thin materials. Such vast and extraordinary photonic responses can be utilized for a plethora of unusual effects for IR light. Examples include sub‐diffraction surface wave guiding, artificial magnetism, exotic photonic dispersions, thermal emission enhancement, perfect absorption and enhanced near‐field heat transfer. Finally, we discuss the tremendous potential impact of these IR functionalities for the advancement of IR sources and sensors, as well as for thermal management and THz‐diagnostic imaging.