Sub-Wavelength Passive Optical Isolators Using Photonic Structures Based on Weyl Semimetals

TL;DR

This paper proposes ultra-compact, high-performance passive optical isolators based on magnetic Weyl semimetals, leveraging their strong magnetooptical effects without external magnetic bias, enabling significant miniaturization of photonic devices.

Contribution

It introduces the design of sub-wavelength optical isolators using magnetic Weyl semimetals, a novel approach that surpasses conventional materials in size and performance.

Findings

Isolators are three orders of magnitude smaller than traditional designs.

Magnetic Weyl semimetals exhibit enhanced magnetooptical effects without external bias.

Potential for new nonreciprocal photonic components.

Abstract

We design sub-wavelength high-performing non-reciprocal optical devices using recently discovered magnetic Weyl semimetals. These passive bulk topological materials exhibit anomalous Hall effect which results in magnetooptical effects that are orders of magnitude higher than those in conventional materials, without the need of any external magnetic bias. We design two optical isolators of both Faraday and Voigt geometries. These isolators have dimensions that are reduced by three orders of magnitude compared to conventional magneto-optical configurations. Our results indicate that the magnetic Weyl semimetals may open up new avenues in photonics for the design of various nonreciprocal components.