Perspective: Strong microwave photon-magnon coupling in multiresonant dielectric antennas

Abstract

Achieving quantum-level control over electromagnetic waves, magnetisation dynamics, vibrations and heat is invaluable for many practical application and possible by exploiting the strong radiation-matter coupling. Most of the modern strong microwave photon-magnon coupling developments rely on the integration of metal-based microwave resonators with a magnetic material. However, it has recently been realised that all-dielectric resonators made of or containing magneto-insulating materials can operate as a standalone strongly-coupled system characterised by low dissipation losses and strong local microwave field enhancement. Here, after a brief overview of recent developments in the field, I discuss examples of such dielectric resonant systems and demonstrate their ability to operate as multiresonant antennas for light, microwaves, magnons, sound, vibrations and heat. This multiphysics behaviour opens up novel opportunities for the realisation of multiresonant coupling such as, for example, photon-magnon-phonon coupling. I also propose several novel systems in which strong photon-magnon coupling in dielectric antennas and similar structures is expected to extend the capability of existing devices or may provide an entirely new functionality. Examples of such systems include novel magnetofluidic devices, high-power microwave power generators, and hybrid devices exploiting the unique properties of electrical solitons.

Harmonic and subharmonic waves on the surface of a vibrated liquid drop

“…Our results should find practical applications in the emergent research directions of liquid optomechanics [36][37][38][39][40][41] and hybrid metamaterial structures [42][43][44]. Thus far, optomechanical structures have mostly been implemented by using the solid-state technology [45] because modern electronic, photonic and phononic devices and circuits are based on solid-state platforms.…”

“…Although large and increasing theoretical effort has been made to recreate and utilise these nonlinear phenomena in solid-state configurations [42,43,[49][50][51][52][53], considerable stiffness of solid-state structures requires impracticably high powers to access the nonlinearity. This is in stark contrast with fluids whose softness [54] allows accessing their nonlinear properties with low power signals produced and controlled by modern photonics devices such as optical fibres and integrated-circuit resonators [36][37][38][39][40][41]44].…”

Acoustic frequency combs using gas bubble cluster oscillations in liquids: a proof of concept

“…However, in that system the spacing between the peaks of the comb was only 20–40 Hz. Whereas frequency combs with a Hz-range spacing can find certain applications 17 , in the gas bubble system investigated in the present work we use the high-kHz range that can potentially be extended to the high-MHz range 24 . This opens up opportunities for using acoustic combs instead of optical ones or in addition to them in a number of practical situations where operation at higher frequencies may be required 16 .…”

Coupling light and sound: giant nonlinearities from oscillating bubbles and droplets

“…For instance, considerable attention has recently been paid to exploiting novel regimes of strong coupling between different entities such as photons, phonons and magnons [121,122]. It has been suggested that multi-resonant photonphonon-magnon interaction can be achieved with magnetofluidic droplets which combine the softness of fluids with the ability of solids to support resonances of electromagnetic, acoustic and spin waves [123].…”