Three-Dimensional Reconfigurable Optical Singularities in Bilayer Photonic Crystals

Abstract

Metasurfaces and photonic crystals have revolutionized classical and quantum manipulation of light and opened the door to studying various optical singularities related to phases and polarization states. However, traditional nanophotonic devices lack reconfigurability, hindering the dynamic switching and optimization of optical singularities. This paper delves into the underexplored concept of tunable bilayer photonic crystals (BPhCs), which offer rich interlayer coupling effects. Utilizing silicon nitride-based BPhCs, we demonstrate tunable bidirectional and unidirectional polarization singularities, along with spatiotemporal phase singularities. Leveraging these tunable singularities, we achieve dynamic modulation of bound-state-in-continuum states, unidirectional guided resonances, and both longitudinal and transverse orbital angular momentum. Our work paves the way for multidimensional control over polarization and phase, inspiring new directions in ultrafast optics, optoelectronics, and quantum optics.