Femtosecond nano-imaging reveals ultrafast optical control of phonon polaritons
Researchers have successfully visualized the ultrafast optical modulation of hyperbolic phonon polaritons in van der Waals heterostructures. This breakthrough allows for the real-time observation of light-matter interactions at the nanoscale, overcoming previous limitations caused by spectral dispersion.
Why it matters
This advancement provides a foundation for developing active nanoscale optical devices and high-sensitivity spectroscopy tools.
by National Institutes of Natural Sciences
edited by Gaby Clark , reviewed by Robert Egan
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Add as preferred source Visual Abstract. Credit: Nano Letters (2026). DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.6c02448 A collaborative research team has successfully visualized in real space the ultrafast optical modulation of hyperbolic phonon polaritons (HPhPs) in a van der Waals heterostructure composed of hBN and WS 2 . The research is published in the journal Nano Letters , and was led by Kazuki Kamada of the Institute for Molecular Science (IMS) and Osaka Metropolitan University, along with Dr. Jun Nishida, assistant professor at IMS, and Takashi Kumagai, associate professor at IMS.
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