Probing optical anapoles with fast electron beams

Carlos Maciel-Escudero, Andrew B. Yankovich, Battulga Munkhbat, Denis G. Baranov, Rainer Hillenbrand, Eva Olsson (), Javier Aizpurua () and Timur O. Shegai ()
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Carlos Maciel-Escudero: CSIC-UPV/EHU, Paseo de Manuel Lardizabal
Andrew B. Yankovich: Chalmers University of Technology
Battulga Munkhbat: Chalmers University of Technology
Denis G. Baranov: Chalmers University of Technology
Rainer Hillenbrand: CIC NanoGUNE BRTA and Department of Electricity and Electronics
Eva Olsson: Chalmers University of Technology
Javier Aizpurua: CSIC-UPV/EHU, Paseo de Manuel Lardizabal
Timur O. Shegai: Chalmers University of Technology

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Optical anapoles are intriguing charge-current distributions characterized by a strong suppression of electromagnetic radiation. They originate from the destructive interference of the radiation produced by electric and toroidal multipoles. Although anapoles in dielectric structures have been probed and mapped with a combination of near- and far-field optical techniques, their excitation using fast electron beams has not been explored so far. Here, we theoretically and experimentally analyze the excitation of optical anapoles in tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanodisks using Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS) in Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM). We observe prominent dips in the electron energy loss spectra and associate them with the excitation of optical anapoles and anapole-exciton hybrids. We are able to map the anapoles excited in the WS2 nanodisks with subnanometer resolution and find that their excitation can be controlled by placing the electron beam at different positions on the nanodisk. Considering current research on the anapole phenomenon, we envision EELS in STEM to become a useful tool for accessing optical anapoles appearing in a variety of dielectric nanoresonators.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43813-y

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