Quantum-Well-Metasurface to Maximize Nonlinear Polarization
Abstract
Nonlinear frequency conversion unlocks technologies ranging from telecommunications to quantum computation; however, weak nonlinearities and architectures that resist miniaturization currently limit devices. Here, we combine a bandstructure-engineered GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure with a high quality factor dielectric metasurface to simultaneously tailor the intrinsic nonlinear susceptibility and optimize the electromagnetic field within the heterostructure. By engineering a resonant interband transition, we realize a large second-order nonlinear tensor element, 1.6 nm/V at 1.57 um wavelength. We then make it free-space-accessible and boost the effective nonlinearity to ~ 14 nm/V using a metasurface patterned on the material. Our proof-of-concept experiment establishes that interband transition engineering and metasurfaces accessing otherwise unusable nonlinear tensor elements enable giant effective nonlinearities in the near-infrared to visible spectrum. This addresses material and device-level constraints in nonlinear photonics, providing a scalable route to compact, efficient devices.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.2604.15476,
title = {Quantum-Well-Metasurface to Maximize Nonlinear Polarization},
author = {Pernille Undrum Fathi and Irene Occhiodori and Patrick Devaney and Amberly Ricks and Rithvik Ramesh and Yiwei Ju and Moaz Waqar and Theodore P. Letsou and Christina M. Spägele and Hyunseung Jung and Igal Brener and Xiaoqing Pan and Marcus Ossiander and Seth R. Bank and Federico Capasso},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2604.15476},
year = {2026}
}