Vectorial Symmetry Decoding with Single-Particle Precision via Room-Temperature Lanthanide Luminescence Polarimetry

TL;DR

This paper introduces a room-temperature, polarization-resolved luminescence method to determine local symmetry and chirality of single rare-earth-doped crystals, enabling precise orientation and polarization control of nano-emitters.

Contribution

It develops a computational electromagnetics framework linking local symmetry to emitted light polarization, validated by experiments, operating at room temperature with minimal measurements, surpassing traditional cryogenic methods.

Findings

Accurate symmetry determination from single optical transitions.

Room-temperature operation with minimal polarization data.

Deterministic polarization control of nano-emitters.

Abstract

Determining the local symmetry of luminescent centers in crystals is critical for understanding and controlling their optical transitions, yet current methods are limited by stringent experimental requirements and ambiguous symmetry assignments. Here, we develop a robust computational electromagnetics framework that directly connect the local symmetry and chirality of rare-earth-doped single crystals to the polarization states of their emitted light. This framework is experimentally validated through the precise determination of point and space group symmetries using high-resolution, polarization-resolved micro-photoluminescence ({\mu}-PL) spectra. Unlike conventional approaches that usually rely on analyzing multiple transitions at cryogenic temperatures, our technique operates at room temperature, requires only a single optical transition, and enables accurate orientation of symmetry axes. This enables deterministic polarization control of nano-emitters by tailoring symmetry groups and selecting appropriate transition dipoles, eliminating the need for bulky or complex photonic structures. Additionally, we demonstrate the function of bio-sensing, via determining single particle orientations in complex cellular environments using minimal polarization measurements. These results pave the way for advances in energy transfer systems, ultra-bright rare-earth nanocrystals, nanophotonic materials, and real-time single-particle tracking in biological contexts.