Enhanced third-harmonic generation in silicon nanoparticles driven by magnetic response

Nano Lett. 2014 Nov 12;14(11):6488-92. doi: 10.1021/nl503029j. Epub 2014 Oct 21.

Abstract

We observe enhanced third-harmonic generation from silicon nanodisks exhibiting both electric and magnetic dipolar resonances. Experimental characterization of the nonlinear optical response through third-harmonic microscopy and spectroscopy reveals that the third-harmonic generation is significantly enhanced in the vicinity of the magnetic dipole resonances. The field localization at the magnetic resonance results in two orders of magnitude enhancement of the harmonic intensity with respect to unstructured bulk silicon with the conversion efficiency limited only by the two-photon absorption in the substrate.

Keywords: multipole decomposition; nonlinear optics; optical magnetism; silicon nanoparticles; third-harmonic generation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.