Mechanism and tuning sensitivity of symmetry-protected resonances in high-contrast gratings.

We develop a theory of refractive index tuning for symmetry-protected optical bound states (SP-BICs) in high-contrast gratings (HCGs). A compact analytical formula for tuning sensitivity is derived and verified numerically. We also discover a new type of SP-BIC in HCGs that has an accidental nature with a spectral singularity, which is explained in terms of hybridization and strong coupling among the odd- and even-symmetric waveguide-array modes.

Ultrafast laser ablation, intrinsic threshold, and nanopatterning of monolayer molybdenum disulfide.

Laser direct writing is an attractive method for patterning 2D materials without contamination. Literature shows that the ultrafast ablation threshold of graphene across substrates varies by an order of magnitude. Some attribute it to the thermal coupling to the substrates, but it remains by and large an open question.