Emergent Nonreciprocal Circularly Polarized Emission from an Organic Thin Film.

Zinna, Francesco; Albano, Gianluigi; Taddeucci, Andrea; Colli, Tony; Aronica, Laura Antonella; Pescitelli, Gennaro; Di Bari, Lorenzo · Adv Mater · 2020

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Controlling circularly polarized (CP) emission is key for both fundamental understanding and applications in the field of chiral photonics and electronics. Here, a completely new way to achieve this goal is presented. A luminescent thin film, made from a chiral conjugated phenylene bis-thiophenylpropynone able to self-assemble into ordered structures, emits highly circularly polarized light with opposite handedness from its two opposite faces. Such emergent nonreciprocal behavior in CP emission, so far unprecedented, represents a fundamental advance, opening new opportunities in design, preparation, and applications of CP emitting materials.