CUOS Noon Seminar: Magneto-electric rectification at non-relativistic intensities

Title: Magneto-electric rectification at non-relativistic intensities

At non-relativistic intensities, research into the effects of optical magnetic field is mostly
limited to low frequencies and materials that are intrinsically magnetic due to internal spin or orbital
magnetic moments. However, universal magneto-electric interactions at non-relativistic intensities do
exist in “non-magnetic” molecular materials. Because magneto-electric interactions are jointly driven by
the magnetic and electric field of light, they do not have the same symmetry and resonance
requirements that purely electric or magnetic interactions do. Thus these interactions can take place at
optical frequencies in all dielectric molecular materials. Recent experiments have for the first time
demonstrated the existence of magneto-electric rectification. The experiments were carried out in
polycrystalline pentacene thin films. Because these thin films possessed spatial inversion symmetry on
the scale of the optical wavelength, all-electric interactions were prohibited. This allowed the magneto-
electric rectification moment to be isolated. These magneto-electric interactions have intriguing
potential for use in energy conversion and ultrafast all-optical switching. In this talk, the theory of non-
relativistic magneto-electric interactions in molecules will be presented, followed by a discussion of the
first experimental observation of magneto-electric rectification.

Pizza will be served!