Broadband unidirectional transverse light scattering in a V-shaped silicon nanoantenna

Opt Express. 2022 Feb 28;30(5):7918-7927. doi: 10.1364/OE.450943.

Abstract

The efficient manipulation of light-matter interactions in subwavelength all-dielectric nanostructures offers a unique opportunity for the design of novel low-loss visible- and telecom-range nanoantennas for light routing applications. Several studies have achieved longitudinal and transverse light scattering with a proper amplitude and phase balance among the multipole moments excited in dielectric nanoantennas. However, they only involve the interaction between electric dipole, magnetic dipole, and up to the electric quadrupole. Here, we extend and demonstrate a unidirectional transverse light scattering in a V-shaped silicon nanoantenna that involves the balance up to the magnetic quadrupole moment. Based on the long-wavelength approximation and exact multipole decomposition analysis, we find the interference conditions needed for near-unity unidirectional transverse light scattering along with near-zero scattering in the opposite direction. These interference conditions involve relative amplitude and phases of the electromagnetic dipoles and quadrupoles supported by the silicon nanoantenna. The conditions can be applied for the development of either polarization- or wavelength- dependent light routing on a V-shaped silicon and plasmonic nanoantennas.