Accelerated Nano-Optical Imaging through Sparse Sampling.

The integration time and signal-to-noise ratio are inextricably linked when performing scanning probe microscopy based on raster scanning. This often yields a large lower bound on the measurement time, for example, in nano-optical imaging experiments performed using a scanning near-field optical microscope (SNOM). Here, we utilize sparse scanning augmented with Gaussian process regression to bypass the time constraint.

Hyperbolic exciton polaritons in a van der Waals magnet.

Exciton polaritons are quasiparticles of photons coupled strongly to bound electron-hole pairs, manifesting as an anti-crossing light dispersion near an exciton resonance. Highly anisotropic semiconductors with opposite-signed permittivities along different crystal axes are predicted to host exotic modes inside the anti-crossing called hyperbolic exciton polaritons (HEPs), which confine light subdiffractionally with enhanced density of states. Here, we show observational evidence of steady-state HEPs in the van der Waals magnet chromium sulfide bromide (CrSBr) using a cryogenic near-infrared near-field microscope.

Ambipolar charge-transfer graphene plasmonic cavities.

Plasmon polaritons in van der Waals materials hold promise for various photonics applications. The deterministic imprinting of spatial patterns of high carrier density in plasmonic cavities and nanoscale circuitry can enable the realization of advanced nonlinear nanophotonic and strong light-matter interaction platforms. Here we demonstrate an oxidation-activated charge transfer strategy to program ambipolar low-loss graphene plasmonic structures.

Surface plasmons induce topological transition in graphene/α-MoO heterostructures.

Polaritons in hyperbolic van der Waals materials-where principal axes have permittivities of opposite signs-are light-matter modes with unique properties and promising applications. Isofrequency contours of hyperbolic polaritons may undergo topological transitions from open hyperbolas to closed ellipse-like curves, prompting an abrupt change in physical properties. Electronically-tunable topological transitions are especially desirable for future integrated technologies but have yet to be demonstrated.

Nanometer-Scale Lateral p-n Junctions in Graphene/α-RuCl Heterostructures.

The ability to create nanometer-scale lateral p-n junctions is essential for the next generation of two-dimensional (2D) devices. Using the charge-transfer heterostructure graphene/α-RuCl, we realize nanoscale lateral p-n junctions in the vicinity of graphene nanobubbles. Our multipronged experimental approach incorporates scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy (STS) and scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) to simultaneously probe the electronic and optical responses of nanobubble p-n junctions.

Nano-spectroscopy of excitons in atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides.

Excitons play a dominant role in the optoelectronic properties of atomically thin van der Waals (vdW) semiconductors. These excitons are amenable to on-demand engineering with diverse control knobs, including dielectric screening, interlayer hybridization, and moiré potentials. However, external stimuli frequently yield heterogeneous excitonic responses at the nano- and meso-scales, making their spatial characterization with conventional diffraction-limited optics a formidable task.

Nonlinear nanoelectrodynamics of a Weyl metal.

Chiral Weyl fermions with linear energy-momentum dispersion in the bulk accompanied by Fermi-arc states on the surfaces prompt a host of enticing optical effects. While new Weyl semimetal materials keep emerging, the available optical probes are limited. In particular, isolating bulk and surface electrodynamics in Weyl conductors remains a challenge.

Nanotextured Dynamics of a Light-Induced Phase Transition in VO.

We investigate transient nanotextured heterogeneity in vanadium dioxide (VO) thin films during a light-induced insulator-to-metal transition (IMT). Time-resolved scanning near-field optical microscopy (Tr-SNOM) is used to study VO across a wide parameter space of infrared frequencies, picosecond time scales, and elevated steady-state temperatures with nanoscale spatial resolution. Room temperature, steady-state, phonon enhanced nano-optical contrast reveals preexisting "hidden" disorder.

Terahertz response of monolayer and few-layer WTe at the nanoscale.

Tungsten ditelluride (WTe) is an atomically layered transition metal dichalcogenide whose physical properties change systematically from monolayer to bilayer and few-layer versions. In this report, we use apertureless scattering-type near-field optical microscopy operating at Terahertz (THz) frequencies and cryogenic temperatures to study the distinct THz range electromagnetic responses of mono-, bi- and trilayer WTe in the same multi-terraced micro-crystal. THz nano-images of monolayer terraces uncovered weakly insulating behavior that is consistent with transport measurements.

Charge-Transfer Plasmon Polaritons at Graphene/α-RuCl Interfaces.

Nanoscale charge control is a key enabling technology in plasmonics, electronic band structure engineering, and the topology of two-dimensional materials. By exploiting the large electron affinity of α-RuCl, we are able to visualize and quantify massive charge transfer at graphene/α-RuCl interfaces through generation of charge-transfer plasmon polaritons (CPPs). We performed nanoimaging experiments on graphene/α-RuCl at both ambient and cryogenic temperatures and discovered robust plasmonic features in otherwise ungated and undoped structures.

Quantitative Nanoinfrared Spectroscopy of Anisotropic van der Waals Materials.

Anisotropic dielectric tensors of uniaxial van der Waals (vdW) materials are difficult to investigate at infrared frequencies. The small dimensions of high-quality exfoliated crystals prevent the use of diffraction-limited spectroscopies. Near-field microscopes coupled to broadband lasers can function as Fourier transform infrared spectrometers with nanometric spatial resolution (nano-FTIR).