Controlling dielectric properties of cBN by an ultrashort double-pulse light

The optical responses of wide band gap materials can be manipulated by a purposely designed ultrashort double-pulse light, based on the real-time time-dependent density functional theory. Taking the cubic boron nitride (cBN) as a typical example, we calculate the energy transfer from an ultrashort double-pulse light field to dielectric materials. We show that the purposely designed ultrashort double-pulse light and pulse train can reversibly manipulate the dielectric properties of cBN without damage. By tuning the parameters of light pulse, the cBN will change between isotropic, elliptic and hyperbolic for a particular light frequency at certain time points during the pulse light. We propose that the cBN with reversible but deep nonlinear optical responses excited by the external light field can be used in the ultrafast all-optical signal processing and optical-field-effect devices.