DOE OSTI · 3014356
Long-range optical coupling with epsilon-near-zero materials
Abstract
Long-range resonant quantum tunneling of electrons happens across potential barriers when the wavefunction interferes constructively outside the barrier. Here we demonstrate an analogy in optical systems based on epsilon-near-zero materials, achieving phase-modulated, long-range optical interactions between transparent semiconducting oxide layers beyond the evanescent photonic coupling. Distinct from weak thin-film interference, intense electromagnetic fields confined within the epsilon-near-zero thin films show anti-correlated intensity oscillations as a function of interlayer separation up to hundreds of microns. The oscillatory, anti-correlated electromagnetic field intensities were probed by second harmonic generation from wedged indium tin oxide multilayers. Such a system that hosts subwavelength mode footprint and simultaneously long-range radiative coupling offers prospects for long-distance optical communication, large-scale photonic circuits, and hybrid quantum photonic systems.
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Wang, Danqing [Fudan University, Shanghai (China); University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000273691944), Lu, Zheyu [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)], Warkander, Sorren [University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)], Gupta, Niharika [University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000210535821), Wang, Qingjun [University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)], Ci, Penghong [University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China)], Guo, Ruihan [University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)] (ORCID:000000029724396X), Li, Jiachen [University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000203683551), Javey, Ali [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000172147931), Yao, Jie [University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)] (ORCID:000000030557759X), Wang, Feng [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000183696194), Wu, Junqiao [University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000214980148). 2025-10-16. Long-range optical coupling with epsilon-near-zero materials. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-64504-w
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