Fizeau Drag in Graphene Plasmonics

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the direct visualization of Fizeau drag in graphene surface plasmon polaritons caused by electron flow, revealing nonlinear electrodynamics effects and enabling control over infrared light propagation without magnetic fields.

Contribution

It reports the first direct imaging of plasmonic Fizeau drag in graphene, linking it to nonlinear Dirac electron dynamics and breaking time-reversal symmetry at infrared frequencies.

Findings

SPP wavelength shortens against drifting carriers

Drag effect linked to nonlinear electrodynamics of Dirac electrons

Enables breaking of reciprocity without magnetic fields

Abstract

Dragging of light by moving dielectrics was predicted by Fresnel and verified by Fizeau's celebrated experiments with flowing water. This momentous discovery is among the experimental cornerstones of Einstein's special relativity and is well understood in the context of relativistic kinematics. In contrast, experiments on dragging photons by an electron flow in solids are riddled with inconsistencies and so far eluded agreement with the theory. Here we report on the electron flow dragging surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs): hybrid quasiparticles of infrared photons and electrons in graphene. The drag is visualized directly through infrared nano-imaging of propagating plasmonic waves in the presence of a high-density current. The polaritons in graphene shorten their wavelength when launched against the drifting carriers. Unlike the Fizeau effect for light, the SPP drag by electrical currents defies the simple kinematics interpretation and is linked to the nonlinear electrodynamics of the Dirac electrons in graphene. The observed plasmonic Fizeau drag enables breaking of time-reversal symmetry and reciprocity at infrared frequencies without resorting to magnetic fields or chiral optical pumping.