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Register a new userQuantum-Enhanced Tunable Second-Order Optical Nonlinearity in Bilayer Graphene
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Second order optical nonlinear processes involve the coherent mixing of two electromagnetic waves to generate a new optical frequency, which plays a central role in a variety of applications, such as ultrafast laser systems, rectifiers, modulators, and optical imaging. However, progress is limited in the mid-infrared (MIR) region due to the lack of suitable nonlinear materials. It is desirable to develop a robust system with a strong, electrically tunable second order optical nonlinearity. Here we demonstrate theoretically that AB-stacked bilayer graphene (BLG) can exhibit a giant and tunable second order nonlinear susceptibility chi ^(2) once an in-plane electric field is applied. chi^(2) can be electrically tuned from 0 to ~ {10^5 pm/V}, three orders of magnitude larger than the widely used nonlinear crystal AgGaSe2. We show that the unusually large chi^(2) arises from two different quantum enhanced two-photon processes thanks to the unique electronic spectrum of BLG. The tunable electronic bandgap of BLG adds additional tunability on the resonance of chi^(2), which corresponds to a tunable wavelength ranging from ~2.6 {mu}m to ~3.1 {mu}m for the up-converted photon. Combined with the high electron mobility and optical transparency of the atomically thin BLG, our scheme suggests a new regime of nonlinear photonics based on BLG.
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Symmetry breaking in a quantum system often leads to complex emergent behavior. In bilayer graphene (BLG), an electric field applied perpendicular to the basal plane breaks the inversion symmetry of the lattice, opening a band gap at the charge neutrality point. In a quantizing magnetic field electron interactions can cause spontaneous symmetry breaking within the spin and valley degrees of freedom, resulting in quantum Hall states (QHS) with complex order. Here we report fractional quantum Hall states (FQHS) in bilayer graphene which show phase transitions that can be tuned by a transverse electric field. This result provides a model platform to study the role of symmetry breaking in emergent states with distinct topological order.
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