Abstract
The advent of two-dimensional semiconductors, such as van der Waals heterostructures, propels new research directions in condensed matter physics and enables development of novel devices with unique functionalities. Here, we show experimentally that a monolayer of embedded in a charge controlled heterostructure can be used to realize an electrically tunable atomically thin mirror, which effects 87% extinction of an incident field that is resonant with its exciton transition. The corresponding maximum reflection coefficient of 41% is only limited by the ratio of the radiative decay rate to the nonradiative linewidth of exciton transition and is independent of incident light intensity up to . We demonstrate that the reflectivity of the mirror can be drastically modified by applying a gate voltage that modifies the monolayer charge density. Our findings could find applications ranging from fast programable spatial light modulators to suspended ultralight mirrors for optomechanical devices.
- Received 12 July 2017
- Revised 21 November 2017
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.037401
© 2018 American Physical Society
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
Synopsis
Reflectivity of Ultrathin Mirror Switches with Voltage
Published 18 January 2018
Researchers designed an atomically thin mirror with electronically switchable reflectivity that could be useful in optoelectronic circuits.
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