Broadband amplification of light through adiabatic spatiotemporal modulation

Abstract

Four-dimensional optics leverages the simultaneous control of materials in space and time to manipulate light. A key challenge in experimentally realizing many intriguing phenomena is the need for rapid modulation, which is hindered by the inherently adiabatic relaxation of optical materials. Here, we theoretically demonstrate that broadband amplification can be achieved without the need for sub-cycle temporal responses, instead leveraging adiabatic spatiotemporal modulation patterns. The proposed modulation scheme is compatible with recent demonstrations of the temporal modulation of epsilon-near-zero materials. We also show that the same phenomenon may be realized by modulating bianisotropic nonreciprocal media in time. This broadband gain mechanism opens new avenues for the generation of high-energy, ultrashort optical pulses, with potential impact in ultrafast optics and electron microscopy.