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Recent studies have demonstrated that ultrahigh-$Q$ resonances, which are robust to fabrication imperfections, can be realized by merging multiple bound states in the continuum (BICs) in momentum space. The merging of multiple BICs holds significant promise for practical applications, providing a robust means to attain ultrahigh-$Q$ resonances that greatly enhance light-matter interactions. In this study, we introduce a novel approach to achieve the merging of BICs at the edges of the fourth stop band, which opens at the third-order $\Gamma$ point, in one-dimensional leaky-mode photonic lattices. Photonic band gaps and BICs arise from periodic modulations in lattice parameters. However, near the third-order $\Gamma$ point, out-of-plane radiation arises by the first and second Fourier harmonic components in the lattice parameters. Accidental BICs can emerge at specific $k$ points where an optimal balance exists between these two Fourier harmonic components. We demonstrate that these accidental BICs are topologically stable, and their positions in momentum space can be precisely controlled by adjusting a specific lattice parameter that influences the strength of the first and second Fourier harmonic components. Furthermore, we show that accidental BICs can be merged at the third-order $\Gamma$ point, with or without a symmetry-protected BIC, by finely adjusting this specific lattice parameter while keeping other parameters constant.

Unidirectional light emission from planar photonic structures is highly advantageous for a wide range of optoelectronic applications. Recently, it has been demonstrated that unidirectional guided resonances (UGRs) can be realized by utilizing topological polarization singularities in momentum space. However, the practical application of these topological unidirectional emitters has been limited due to their intricate geometric configurations, requiring special efforts with high-cost fabrication processes. In this study, we show that unidirectional light emission can be achieved in conventional one-dimensional zero-contrast gratings (ZCGs), which can be easily fabricated using current nanofabrication technologies. In ZCGs, the interband coupling between even-like and odd-like waveguide modes leads to the formation of quasi-UGRs, characterized by significantly higher decay rates in either the upward or downward direction compared to the opposite direction. We demonstrate that these quasi-UGRs evolve into genuine UGRs with an gradual increase in grating thickness. Moreover, the emission direction of UGRs can be selectively steered either upward or downward by adjusting the lattice parameters. In addition to quasi-UGRs and UGRs, our study also reveals additional topological phenomena in ZCGs, including exceptional points and quasi-BICs.

Bound states in the continuum (BICs) theoretically have the ability to confine electromagnetic waves in limited regions with infinite radiative quality ($Q$) factors. However, in practical experiments, resonances can only exhibit finite $Q$ factors due to unwanted scattering losses caused by fabrication imperfections. Recently, it has been shown that ultrahigh-$Q$ guided-mode resonances (GMRs), which are robust to fabrication imperfections, can be realized by merging multiple BICs in momentum space. In this study, we analytically and numerically investigate the merging and band transition of accidental BICs in planar photonic lattices. Accidental BICs can merge at the edges of the second stop band, either with or without a symmetry-protected BIC. We show that as the thickness of the photonic lattice gradually increases, the merged state of BICs transitions from the upper to the lower band edge. Using coupled-mode analysis, we present the analytical merging thickness at which multiple accidental BICs merge at the second-order $\Gamma$ point. Our coupled-mode analysis could be beneficial for achieving ultrahigh-$Q$ GMRs in various photonic lattices composed of materials with different dielectric constants.

In this work, we present a learning based approach to analog circuit design, where the goal is to optimize circuit performance subject to certain design constraints. One of the aspects that makes this problem challenging to optimize, is that measuring the performance of candidate configurations with simulation can be computationally expensive, particularly in the post-layout design. Additionally, the large number of design constraints and the interaction between the relevant quantities makes the problem complex. Therefore, to better facilitate supporting the human designers, it is desirable to gain knowledge about the whole space of feasible solutions. In order to tackle these challenges, we take inspiration from model-based reinforcement learning and propose a method with two key properties. First, it learns a reward model, i.e., surrogate model of the performance approximated by neural networks, to reduce the required number of simulation. Second, it uses a stochastic policy generator to explore the diverse solution space satisfying constraints. Together we combine these in a Dyna-style optimization framework, which we call DynaOpt, and empirically evaluate the performance on a circuit benchmark of a two-stage operational amplifier. The results show that, compared to the model-free method applied with 20,000 circuit simulations to train the policy, DynaOpt achieves even much better performance by learning from scratch with only 500 simulations., Comment: NeurIPS 2020 Workshop on Machine Learning for Engineering Modeling, Simulation and Design

Chip-scale integrated light sources are a crucial component in a broad range of photonics applications. III-V semiconductor nanowire emitters have gained attention as a fascinating approach due to their superior material properties, extremely compact size, and the capability to grow directly on lattice-mismatched silicon substrates. Although there have been remarkable advances in nanowire-based emitters, their practical applications are still in the early stages due to the difficulties in integrating nanowire emitters with photonic integrated circuits (PICs). Here, we demonstrate for the first time optically pumped III-V nanowire array lasers monolithically integrated on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform. Selective-area growth of purely single-crystalline InGaAs/InGaP core/shell nanowires on an SOI substrate enables the nanowire array to form a photonic crystal nanobeam cavity with superior optical and structural properties, resulting in the laser to operate at room temperature. We also show that the nanowire array lasers are effectively coupled with SOI waveguides by employing nanoepitaxy on a pre-patterned SOI platform. These results represent a new platform for ultra-compact and energy-efficient optical links, and unambiguously point the way toward practical and functional nanowire lasers.

We report the nanodiamond-derived onion-like carbon successfully applied as an electrocatalyst for [VO]2+/[VO2]+ redox flow battery, as drop-coated (in the as-synthesized state) on glassy carbon or carbon felt electrodes. We show that its reversibility and catalytic activity in its as-synthesized state was comparable to some of the best data in the literature which employed surface modifications. We clarified the origin of such excellent performances by physical/electrochemical analyses., Comment: 11 pages