Time-varying metaphotonics via reverse engineering

Among the most transformative frontiers in nanophotonics are time-varying materials, whose optical properties can be dynamically modulated on femtosecond to picosecond timescales in response to external stimuli, such as light pulses, enabling ultrafast control over light-matter interactions. These materials hold the promise to enable the next generation of dynamic and tunable metaphotonic devices with reprogrammable functionalities. Transparent conductive oxides belong to this category of materials offering ultrafast refractive index modulation based on carrier refraction and nonlinear effects. Despite the enormous potential of time-varying materials, the design of such systems remains a significant challenge due to the complexity of time-dependent phenomena and the limitations of current reverse engineering (or inverse design) methods, which are predominantly tailored for static systems subject to continuous-wave excitation. To address this gap, TEMPORE will develop novel methodologies of reverse engineering for large-scale, time-varying nanophotonic systems based on the ultrafast refractive index modulation of transparent conductive oxides. Inspired by architectural concepts for modern city planning which need to be adaptable and sustainable, this proposal introduces the concept of “nanoscale cities”: nanophotonic systems designed using architecture-inspired principles to achieve advanced time-dependent and dynamic functionalities. By combining transient material models, pump-probe operation, and highly scalable and efficient solvers on high-performance computing, we will address some of the most pressing challenges in time-varying ultrafast integrated metaphotonics. By unlocking the design and optimization of complex multi-material systems with time-dependent objectives in the linear and nonlinear regime, TEMPORE will drive advancements in reconfigurable and high-performance photonic devices for applications in classical and quantum optical technologies.