Towards field-resolved visible microscopy of 2D materials

TL;DR

This paper explores extending a technique to study light-matter interactions at ultrafast speeds for visible light, enabling new insights into 2D materials.

Contribution

The paper proposes extending electro-optic sampling to the visible spectrum for the first time.

Findings

Electro-optic sampling can achieve sub-wavelength resolution in time and space.

The technique has not yet been demonstrated for wavelengths below 700 nm.

Applying it to visible light could advance nanophotonics and material science.

Abstract

The investigation of interaction of light with various materials on the sub-cycle time scale requires field sampling techniques with incredibly high temporal resolution. Electro-optic sampling (EOS) provides the sub-wavelength resolution both in time and space giving the opportunity for ultrafast microscopy to observe response of electrons and quasiparticles in real time. For the frequencies approaching the petahertz scale, the oscillations of light are incredibly hard to resolve. In particular, EOS has not been demonstrated for wavelengths below 700 nm. In this perspective, we discuss the potential extension of EOS to cover complete visible spectrum and the impact that it can give to the nanophotonics and material science. Specifically, we describe how the ultrafast dynamics of quasiparticles in some 2D materials can be tracked using the space-resolved EOS.

Figures