Optical meta-atom for localization of light with quantized energy

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel open plasmonic meta-atom capable of storing a quantized light energy bit with a long lifetime, enabled by nonlinear effects and volume plasmons, and allows efficient coupling and release of the trapped light.

Contribution

It introduces a new mechanism for quantized light storage in open plasmonic structures utilizing nonlinear responses and volume plasmons, overcoming radiation loss limitations.

Findings

Trapped light state has a lifetime not limited by radiation loss.

Nonlinear response and volume plasmons enable breaking reciprocity restrictions.

Incident pulses can release the stored light bit efficiently.

Abstract

The capacity to confine light into a small region of space is of paramount importance in many areas of modern science. Here, we suggest a mechanism to store a quantized "bit" of light - with a very precise amount of energy - in an open core-shell plasmonic structure ("meta-atom") with a nonlinear optical response. Notwithstanding the trapped light state is embedded in the radiation continuum, its lifetime is not limited by the radiation loss. Interestingly, it is shown that the interplay between the nonlinear response and volume plasmons enables breaking fundamental reciprocity restrictions, and coupling very efficiently an external light source to the meta-atom. The collision of an incident optical pulse with the meta-atom may be used to release the trapped radiation "bit".