Nonlinear optics in 2D materials: from classical to quantum

TL;DR

This paper reviews the advances in nonlinear optics enabled by 2D materials, highlighting their strong light-matter interactions, tunable properties, and potential for classical and quantum photonic applications.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of how 2D materials enhance nonlinear optical processes, from classical to quantum regimes, and discusses their integration into photonic systems.

Findings

2D materials exhibit large nonlinear responses due to tunable properties.

They enable symmetry control and phase matching in nonlinear optics.

Potential for transforming photonic and quantum technologies.

Abstract

Nonlinear optics has long been a cornerstone of modern photonic technology, enabling a wide array of applications, from frequency conversion to the generation of ultrafast light pulses. Recent breakthroughs in two-dimensional (2D) materials have opened a frontier in this field, offering new opportunities for both classical and quantum nonlinear optics. These atomically thin materials exhibit strong light-matter interactions and large nonlinear responses, thanks to their tunable lattice symmetries, strong resonance effects, and highly engineerable band structures. In this paper, we explore the potential that 2D materials bring to nonlinear optics, covering topics from classical nonlinear optics to nonlinearities at the few-photon level. We delve into how these materials enable possibilities, such as symmetry control, phase matching, and integration into photonic circuits. The fusion of 2D materials with nonlinear optics provides insights into the fundamental behaviors of elementary excitations such as electrons, excitons, and photons in low dimensional systems and has the potential to transform the landscape of next-generation photonic and quantum technologies.