{
  "abstract": "Hyperbolic materials, which exhibit an extreme form of birefringence enabling the volume confinement and frequency-dependent propagation of deeply sub-diffractional optical modes, offer the opportunity for extreme confinement via the stimulation polaritonic modes, with substantially higher confinement obtained through the efficient excitation of of the higher-order (shorter wavelength) hyperbolic polaritonic modes, which they can support. However, while these higher-order hyperbolic polaritons (HO-HPhPs) form high-momentum ray-like propagation within the bulk, efficient excitation of these modes, especially in contrast to the long-wavelength lower-momentum surface polariton propagating modes, has remained a challenge. Critically, the large momentum mismatch between these modes and free-space light, alongside the spatial mismatch between the sub-diffractional scatterer and the distinct modal distribution of HO-HPhPs, lead to a suppressed launching efficiency of these higher-order modes, limiting their use in nanophotonic applications. Here, we report the experimental observation of a 10-fold enhancement in the excitation efficiency of HO-HPhPs through the use of subsurface scatterers over traditional surface scattering (e.g. a flake edge or gold launcher) within single-crystalline α-MoO3 slabs. We employ full-wave numerical simulations to investigate the role of the spatial overlap between HO-HPhP modal distributions and the scatterer placement upon excitation efficiency. Furthermore, we develop a generalized process using transfer matrix method to selectively design modal HO-HPhP excitation, which advances the capabilities of HPhP multiplexing for on-chip applications.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2608.27733",
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Thiago S. Arnaud"
    },
    {
      "name": "John E. Buchner"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ryan W. Spangler"
    },
    {
      "name": "Maximilian Obst"
    },
    {
      "name": "Jon-Paul Maria"
    },
    {
      "name": "Joshua D. Caldwell"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/0ddb8an429jcg.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2608.27733",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "0ddb8an429jcg",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.27733",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-SA 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "cond-mat.mes-hall"
    ],
    [
      "arxiv",
      "physics.optics"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2204|Plasmonic and Surface Plasmon Research"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7204853098",
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2608.27733",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-08-27",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/0ddb8an429jcg.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:22Z",
      "native_id": "2608.27733",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.27733"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:cond-mat.mes-hall",
      "subfield": "condensed-matter"
    },
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:physics.optics",
      "subfield": "optics-photonics"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Deterministic control over launching efficiency of higher-order hyperbolic phonon polaritons",
  "title_text": "Deterministic control over launching efficiency of higher-order hyperbolic phonon polaritons",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:22Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/0ddb8an429jcg",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}