Issue 7, 2023

Hexagonal boron nitride nanophotonics: a record-breaking material for the ultraviolet and visible spectral ranges

Abstract

A global trend towards miniaturization and multiwavelength performance of nanophotonic devices drives research on novel phenomena, such as bound states in the continuum and Mietronics, as well as surveys for high-refractive index and strongly anisotropic materials and metasurfaces. Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is one of the promising materials for future nanophotonics owing to its inherent anisotropy and prospects of high-quality monocrystal growth with an atomically flat surface. Here, we present highly accurate optical constants of hBN in the broad wavelength range of 250–1700 nm combining imaging ellipsometry measurements, scanning near-field optical microscopy and first-principles quantum mechanical computations. hBN's high refractive index, up to 2.75 in the ultraviolet (UV) and visible range, broadband birefringence of ∼0.7, and negligible optical losses make it an outstanding material for UV and visible range photonics. Based on our measurement results, we propose and design novel optical elements: handedness-preserving mirrors and subwavelength waveguides with dimensions of 40 nm operating in the visible and UV ranges, respectively. Remarkably, our results offer a unique opportunity to bridge the size gap between photonics and electronics.

Graphical abstract: Hexagonal boron nitride nanophotonics: a record-breaking material for the ultraviolet and visible spectral ranges

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
13 feb 2023
Accepted
06 apr 2023
First published
04 mai 2023

Mater. Horiz., 2023,10, 2427-2435

Hexagonal boron nitride nanophotonics: a record-breaking material for the ultraviolet and visible spectral ranges

D. V. Grudinin, G. A. Ermolaev, D. G. Baranov, A. N. Toksumakov, K. V. Voronin, A. S. Slavich, A. A. Vyshnevyy, A. B. Mazitov, I. A. Kruglov, D. A. Ghazaryan, A. V. Arsenin, K. S. Novoselov and V. S. Volkov, Mater. Horiz., 2023, 10, 2427 DOI: 10.1039/D3MH00215B

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