Publications | Auburn Photonic Systems Lab

An up-to-date list is available on Google Scholar.

Journal Articles

2026

Phys. Rev. Lett.

Supersymmetric Isophase Acoustic Potentials

Jieun Yim, Zihe Gao, Haoqi Zhao, Shuang Wu, Ying Wu, and 3 more authors

Physical Review Letters, 2026

@article{yim2026supersymmetric,
  title = {Supersymmetric Isophase Acoustic Potentials},
  author = {Yim, Jieun and Gao, Zihe and Zhao, Haoqi and Wu, Shuang and Wu, Ying and Ge, Li and Litchinitser, Natalia M and Feng, Liang},
  journal = {Physical Review Letters},
  volume = {136},
  number = {2},
  pages = {027201},
  year = {2026},
  publisher = {American Physical Society},
  doi = {10.1103/7dqk-h2pg},
}

Appl. Phys. Lett.

Buried Dielectric Quasi-Photonic-Crystal Surface-Emitting Lasers

Erin M. Raftery, Devon O. Lee, Daniel W. Pflug, Adrian Birge, Bradley J. Thompson, and 4 more authors

Applied Physics Letters, 2026

Cover article

DOI Bib HTML

@article{raftery2026buried,
  title = {Buried Dielectric Quasi-Photonic-Crystal Surface-Emitting Lasers},
  author = {Raftery, Erin M. and Lee, Devon O. and Pflug, Daniel W. and Birge, Adrian and Thompson, Bradley J. and Chow, Edmond and Gao, Zihe and Lee, Minjoo L. and Choquette, Kent D.},
  journal = {Applied Physics Letters},
  volume = {129},
  number = {1},
  pages = {011104},
  year = {2026},
  publisher = {AIP Publishing},
  doi = {10.1063/5.0325678},
  note = {Cover article},
}

2025

Nat. Photonics

Non-Hermitian hybrid silicon photonic switching

Xilin Feng, Tianwei Wu, Zihe Gao, Haoqi Zhao, Shuang Wu, and 3 more authors

Nature Photonics, 2025

DOI Bib HTML

@article{feng2025non,
  title = {Non-Hermitian hybrid silicon photonic switching},
  author = {Feng, Xilin and Wu, Tianwei and Gao, Zihe and Zhao, Haoqi and Wu, Shuang and Zhang, Yichi and Ge, Li and Feng, Liang},
  journal = {Nature Photonics},
  volume = {19},
  number = {3},
  pages = {264--270},
  year = {2025},
  publisher = {Springer Nature},
  doi = {10.1038/s41566-024-01579-9},
}

Phys. Rev. X

High-Dimensional Quantum Key Distribution by a Spin-Orbit Microlaser

Yichi Zhang, Haoqi Zhao, Tianwei Wu, Zihe Gao, Li Ge, and 1 more author

Physical Review X, 2025

DOI Bib HTML

@article{zhang2025high,
  title = {High-Dimensional Quantum Key Distribution by a Spin-Orbit Microlaser},
  author = {Zhang, Yichi and Zhao, Haoqi and Wu, Tianwei and Gao, Zihe and Ge, Li and Feng, Liang},
  journal = {Physical Review X},
  volume = {15},
  number = {1},
  pages = {011024},
  year = {2025},
  publisher = {American Physical Society},
  doi = {10.1103/PhysRevX.15.011024},
}

2024

eLight

Integrated preparation and manipulation of high-dimensional flying structured photons

Haoqi Zhao, Yichi Zhang, Zihe Gao, Jieun Yim, Shuang Wu, and 3 more authors

eLight, 2024

Bib HTML

@article{zhao2024integrated,
  title = {Integrated preparation and manipulation of high-dimensional flying structured photons},
  author = {Zhao, Haoqi and Zhang, Yichi and Gao, Zihe and Yim, Jieun and Wu, Shuang and Litchinitser, Natalia M and Ge, Li and Feng, Liang},
  journal = {eLight},
  volume = {4},
  number = {1},
  pages = {10},
  year = {2024},
  publisher = {Springer},
}

Phys. Rev. B

Non-Hermitian gauged reciprocity and symmetry

Jiecheng Lyu, Zihe Gao, Liang Feng, and Li Ge

Phys. Rev. B, Oct 2024

HTML

2023

Nano Lett.

Topological Photonic Lattice for Uniform Beam Splitting, Robust Routing, and Sensitive Far-Field Steering

Tianwei Wu, Yankun Li, Xilin Feng, Shuang Wu, Zihe Gao, and 1 more author

Nano Letters, Oct 2023

Bib HTML

@article{wu2023topological,
  title = {Topological Photonic Lattice for Uniform Beam Splitting, Robust Routing, and Sensitive Far-Field Steering},
  author = {Wu, Tianwei and Li, Yankun and Feng, Xilin and Wu, Shuang and Gao, Zihe and Feng, Liang},
  journal = {Nano Letters},
  volume = {23},
  number = {9},
  pages = {3866--3871},
  year = {2023},
  publisher = {American Chemical Society},
}

Nat. Photonics

Lithography-free reconfigurable integrated photonic processor

Tianwei Wu, Marco Menarini, Zihe Gao, and Liang Feng

Nature Photonics, Oct 2023

Bib HTML

@article{wu2023lithography,
  title = {Lithography-free reconfigurable integrated photonic processor},
  author = {Wu, Tianwei and Menarini, Marco and Gao, Zihe and Feng, Liang},
  journal = {Nature Photonics},
  pages = {1--7},
  year = {2023},
  publisher = {Nature Publishing Group UK London},
}

Topological quadratic-node semimetal in a photonic microring lattice

Zihe Gao, Haoqi Zhao, Tianwei Wu, Xilin Feng, Zhifeng Zhang, and 3 more authors

Nature Communications, Oct 2023

Bib HTML

@article{gao2023topological,
  title = {Topological quadratic-node semimetal in a photonic microring lattice},
  author = {Gao, Zihe and Zhao, Haoqi and Wu, Tianwei and Feng, Xilin and Zhang, Zhifeng and Qiao, Xingdu and Chiu, Ching-Kai and Feng, Liang},
  journal = {Nature Communications},
  volume = {14},
  number = {1},
  pages = {3206},
  year = {2023},
  publisher = {Nature Publishing Group UK London},
}

Phys. Rev. Lett.

Two-Dimensional Reconfigurable Non-Hermitian Gauged Laser Array

Zihe Gao^*, Xingdu Qiao^*, Mingsen Pan^*, Shuang Wu, Jieun Yim, and 4 more authors

Physical Review Letters, Oct 2023

Bib HTML

@article{gao2023two,
  title = {Two-Dimensional Reconfigurable Non-Hermitian Gauged Laser Array},
  author = {Gao*, Zihe and Qiao*, Xingdu and Pan*, Mingsen and Wu, Shuang and Yim, Jieun and Chen, Kaiyuan and Midya, Bikashkali and Ge, Li and Feng, Liang},
  journal = {Physical Review Letters},
  volume = {130},
  number = {26},
  pages = {263801},
  year = {2023},
  publisher = {American Physical Society},
}

Phys. Rev. B

Non-Hermitian gauged laser arrays with localized excitations: Anomalous threshold and generalized principle of selective pumping

Li Ge, Zihe Gao, and Liang Feng

Physical Review B, Oct 2023

Bib HTML

@article{ge2023non,
  title = {Non-Hermitian gauged laser arrays with localized excitations: Anomalous threshold and generalized principle of selective pumping},
  author = {Ge, Li and Gao, Zihe and Feng, Liang},
  journal = {Physical Review B},
  volume = {108},
  number = {10},
  pages = {104111},
  year = {2023},
  publisher = {American Physical Society},
}

Phys. Rev. Lett.

High-Purity Generation and Switching of Twisted Single Photons

Haoqi Zhao, Yichen Ma, Zihe Gao, Na Liu, Tianwei Wu, and 5 more authors

Physical Review Letters, Oct 2023

Bib HTML

@article{zhao2023high,
  title = {High-Purity Generation and Switching of Twisted Single Photons},
  author = {Zhao, Haoqi and Ma, Yichen and Gao, Zihe and Liu, Na and Wu, Tianwei and Wu, Shuang and Feng, Xilin and Hone, James and Strauf, Stefan and Feng, Liang},
  journal = {Physical Review Letters},
  volume = {131},
  number = {18},
  pages = {183801},
  year = {2023},
  publisher = {American Physical Society},
}

2022

Opt. Lett.

Ultrafast heterodyne mode imaging and refractive index mapping of a femtosecond laser written multimode waveguide

Shuang Wu, Zihe Gao, Tianwei Wu, Zhifeng Zhang, and Liang Feng

Optics Letters, Oct 2022

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On-chip spin-orbit locking of quantum emitters in 2D materials for chiral emission

Yichen Ma, Haoqi Zhao, Na Liu, Zihe Gao, Seyed Sepehr Mohajerani, and 4 more authors

Optica, Oct 2022

Bib HTML

@article{ma2022chip,
  title = {On-chip spin-orbit locking of quantum emitters in 2D materials for chiral emission},
  author = {Ma, Yichen and Zhao, Haoqi and Liu, Na and Gao, Zihe and Mohajerani, Seyed Sepehr and Xiao, Licheng and Hone, James and Feng, Liang and Strauf, Stefan},
  journal = {Optica},
  volume = {9},
  number = {8},
  pages = {953--958},
  year = {2022},
  publisher = {Optica Publishing Group},
}

eLight

Broadband continuous supersymmetric transformation: a new paradigm for transformation optics

Jieun Yim, Nitish Chandra, Xilin Feng, Zihe Gao, Shuang Wu, and 4 more authors

eLight, Oct 2022

Bib HTML

@article{yim2022broadband,
  title = {Broadband continuous supersymmetric transformation: a new paradigm for transformation optics},
  author = {Yim, Jieun and Chandra, Nitish and Feng, Xilin and Gao, Zihe and Wu, Shuang and Wu, Tianwei and Zhao, Haoqi and Litchinitser, Natalia M and Feng, Liang},
  journal = {eLight},
  volume = {2},
  number = {1},
  pages = {16},
  year = {2022},
  publisher = {Springer Nature Singapore Singapore},
}

Spin–orbit microlaser emitting in a four-dimensional Hilbert space

Zhifeng Zhang, Haoqi Zhao, Shuang Wu, Tianwei Wu, Xingdu Qiao, and 6 more authors

Nature, Oct 2022

Bib HTML

@article{zhang2022spin,
  title = {Spin--orbit microlaser emitting in a four-dimensional Hilbert space},
  author = {Zhang, Zhifeng and Zhao, Haoqi and Wu, Shuang and Wu, Tianwei and Qiao, Xingdu and Gao, Zihe and Agarwal, Ritesh and Longhi, Stefano and Litchinitser, Natalia M and Ge, Li and Feng, Liang},
  journal = {Nature},
  volume = {612},
  number = {7939},
  pages = {246--251},
  year = {2022},
  publisher = {Nature Publishing Group UK London},
}

2021

Higher-dimensional supersymmetric microlaser arrays

Xingdu Qiao^*, Bikashkali Midya^*, Zihe Gao^*, Zhifeng Zhang, Haoqi Zhao, and 5 more authors

Science, Oct 2021

Bib HTML

@article{qiao2021higher,
  title = {Higher-dimensional supersymmetric microlaser arrays},
  author = {Qiao*, Xingdu and Midya*, Bikashkali and Gao*, Zihe and Zhang, Zhifeng and Zhao, Haoqi and Wu, Tianwei and Yim, Jieun and Agarwal, Ritesh and Litchinitser, Natalia M and Feng, Liang},
  journal = {Science},
  volume = {372},
  number = {6540},
  pages = {403--408},
  year = {2021},
  publisher = {American Association for the Advancement of Science},
}

2020

Complex coupling coefficient in laterally coupled microcavity laser diode arrays

Harshil Dave, Zihe Gao, and Kent Choquette

Applied Physics Letters, Oct 2020

Bib HTML

@article{dave2020complex,
  title = {Complex coupling coefficient in laterally coupled microcavity laser diode arrays},
  author = {Dave, Harshil and Gao, Zihe and Choquette, Kent},
  journal = {Applied Physics Letters},
  volume = {117},
  number = {4},
  year = {2020},
  publisher = {AIP Publishing},
}

Ultrafast control of fractional orbital angular momentum of microlaser emissions

Zhifeng Zhang, Haoqi Zhao, Danilo Gomes Pires, Xingdu Qiao, Zihe Gao, and 4 more authors

Light: Science & Applications, Oct 2020

Bib HTML

@article{zhang2020ultrafast,
  title = {Ultrafast control of fractional orbital angular momentum of microlaser emissions},
  author = {Zhang, Zhifeng and Zhao, Haoqi and Pires, Danilo Gomes and Qiao, Xingdu and Gao, Zihe and Jornet, Josep M and Longhi, Stefano and Litchinitser, Natalia M and Feng, Liang},
  journal = {Light: Science \& Applications},
  volume = {9},
  number = {1},
  pages = {179},
  year = {2020},
  publisher = {Nature Publishing Group UK London},
}

2019

Non-hermiticity and exceptional points in coherently coupled vertical cavity laser diode arrays

Zihe Gao, Bradley J Thompson, Harshil Dave, Stewart Fryslie, and Kent D Choquette

Applied Physics Letters, Oct 2019

Bib HTML

@article{gao2019non,
  title = {Non-hermiticity and exceptional points in coherently coupled vertical cavity laser diode arrays},
  author = {Gao, Zihe and Thompson, Bradley J and Dave, Harshil and Fryslie, Stewart and Choquette, Kent D},
  journal = {Applied Physics Letters},
  volume = {114},
  number = {6},
  year = {2019},
  publisher = {AIP Publishing},
}

Static and dynamic properties of coherently-coupled photonic-crystal vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser arrays

Harshil Dave, Zihe Gao, Stewart Thomas McKee Fryslie, Bradley J Thompson, and Kent D Choquette

IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, Oct 2019

Bib HTML

@article{dave2019static,
  title = {Static and dynamic properties of coherently-coupled photonic-crystal vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser arrays},
  author = {Dave, Harshil and Gao, Zihe and Fryslie, Stewart Thomas McKee and Thompson, Bradley J and Choquette, Kent D},
  journal = {IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics},
  volume = {25},
  number = {6},
  pages = {1--8},
  year = {2019},
  publisher = {IEEE},
}

Mode engineering in linear coherently coupled vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser arrays

Bradley J Thompson, Zihe Gao, Stewart TM Fryslie, and Kent D Choquette

IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, Oct 2019

Bib HTML

@article{thompson2019mode,
  title = {Mode engineering in linear coherently coupled vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser arrays},
  author = {Thompson, Bradley J and Gao, Zihe and Fryslie, Stewart TM and Choquette, Kent D},
  journal = {IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics},
  volume = {25},
  number = {6},
  pages = {1--5},
  year = {2019},
  publisher = {IEEE},
}

2018

Coupling coefficient in antiguided coupling: magnitude and sign control

Zihe Gao, Dominic Siriani, and Kent D Choquette

JOSA B, Oct 2018

Bib HTML

@article{gao2018coupling,
  title = {Coupling coefficient in antiguided coupling: magnitude and sign control},
  author = {Gao, Zihe and Siriani, Dominic and Choquette, Kent D},
  journal = {JOSA B},
  volume = {35},
  number = {2},
  pages = {417--422},
  year = {2018},
  publisher = {Optica Publishing Group},
}

Rate equation analysis and non-Hermiticity in coupled semiconductor laser arrays

Zihe Gao, Matthew T Johnson, and Kent D Choquette

Journal of Applied Physics, Oct 2018

Bib HTML

@article{gao2018rate,
  title = {Rate equation analysis and non-Hermiticity in coupled semiconductor laser arrays},
  author = {Gao, Zihe and Johnson, Matthew T and Choquette, Kent D},
  journal = {Journal of Applied Physics},
  volume = {123},
  number = {17},
  pages = {173102},
  year = {2018},
  publisher = {AIP Publishing},
}

Digital Modulation of Coherently-Coupled 2\backslashtimes1 Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser Arrays

Harshil Dave, Peicheng Liao, Stewart TM Fryslie, Zihe Gao, Bradley J Thompson, and 2 more authors

IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, Oct 2018

Bib HTML

@article{dave2018digital,
  title = {Digital Modulation of Coherently-Coupled $2$\backslash$times1 $ Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser Arrays},
  author = {Dave, Harshil and Liao, Peicheng and Fryslie, Stewart TM and Gao, Zihe and Thompson, Bradley J and Willner, Alan E and Choquette, Kent D},
  journal = {IEEE Photonics Technology Letters},
  volume = {31},
  number = {2},
  pages = {173--176},
  year = {2018},
  publisher = {IEEE},
}

2017

Parity-time symmetry in coherently coupled vertical cavity laser arrays

Zihe Gao, Stewart TM Fryslie, Bradley J Thompson, P Scott Carney, and Kent D Choquette

Optica, Oct 2017

Bib HTML

@article{gao2017parity,
  title = {Parity-time symmetry in coherently coupled vertical cavity laser arrays},
  author = {Gao, Zihe and Fryslie, Stewart TM and Thompson, Bradley J and Carney, P Scott and Choquette, Kent D},
  journal = {Optica},
  volume = {4},
  number = {3},
  pages = {323--329},
  year = {2017},
  publisher = {Optica Publishing Group},
}

Modulation of coherently coupled phased photonic crystal vertical cavity laser arrays

Stewart TM Fryslie, Zihe Gao, Harshil Dave, Bradley J Thompson, Katherine Lakomy, and 5 more authors

IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, Oct 2017

Bib HTML

@article{fryslie2017modulation,
  title = {Modulation of coherently coupled phased photonic crystal vertical cavity laser arrays},
  author = {Fryslie, Stewart TM and Gao, Zihe and Dave, Harshil and Thompson, Bradley J and Lakomy, Katherine and Lin, Shiyun and Decker, Patrick J and McElfresh, David K and Schutt-Ain{\'e}, Jos{\'e} E and Choquette, Kent D},
  journal = {IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics},
  volume = {23},
  number = {6},
  pages = {1--9},
  year = {2017},
  publisher = {IEEE},
}

Coherence in multielement-phased vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser arrays using resonance tuning

Bradley J Thompson, Zihe Gao, Stewart TM Fryslie, Matthew T Johnson, Dominic F Siriani, and 1 more author

IEEE Photonics Journal, Oct 2017

Bib HTML

@article{thompson2017coherence,
  title = {Coherence in multielement-phased vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser arrays using resonance tuning},
  author = {Thompson, Bradley J and Gao, Zihe and Fryslie, Stewart TM and Johnson, Matthew T and Siriani, Dominic F and Choquette, Kent D},
  journal = {IEEE Photonics Journal},
  volume = {9},
  number = {5},
  pages = {1--8},
  year = {2017},
  publisher = {IEEE},
}

2015

Bottom-emitting coherently coupled vertical cavity laser arrays

Zihe Gao, Bradley J Thompson, Gautham Ragunathan, Matthew T Johnson, Bibhudutta Rout, and 1 more author

IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, Oct 2015

Bib HTML

@article{gao2015bottom,
  title = {Bottom-emitting coherently coupled vertical cavity laser arrays},
  author = {Gao, Zihe and Thompson, Bradley J and Ragunathan, Gautham and Johnson, Matthew T and Rout, Bibhudutta and Choquette, Kent D},
  journal = {IEEE Photonics Technology Letters},
  volume = {28},
  number = {4},
  pages = {513--515},
  year = {2015},
  publisher = {IEEE},
}

Patent

2024

High-dimensional evanescently coupled phase-locked microlaser arrays

Liang Feng, Zihe Gao, Bikashkali Midya, and QIAO Xingdu

Jun 2024

US Patent App. 18/556,519

2022

Switchable fringe pattern illuminator

Zihe Gao, Michael Hall, Qing Chao, Zhaoming Zhu, and Tin Komljenovic

Nov 2022

US Patent 11,516,457
Vcsel arrays for generation of linear structured light features

Nadav Grossinger, Michael Hall, Robert Hasbun, Jonatan Ginzburg, and Zihe Gao

Jan 2022

US Patent App. 17/069,731
Dynamic structured light for depth sensing systems based on contrast in a local area

Michael Hall, Xinqiao Liu, Zhaoming Zhu, Rajesh Lachhmandas Chhabria, Huixuan Tang, and 2 more authors

Feb 2022

US Patent App. 17/504,004
Three-dimensional imaging with spatial and temporal coding for depth camera assembly

Fengqiang Li, Zihe Gao, and Michael Hall

May 2022

US Patent 11,348,262
Photonic integrated circuits with integrated optical conditioning elements

Zihe Gao, Zhaoming Zhu, Michael Hall, and Guohua Wei

Sep 2022

US Patent 11,435,528

2021

Dynamic structured light for depth sensing systems based on contrast in a local area

Michael Hall, Xinqiao Liu, Zhaoming Zhu, Rajesh Lachhmandas Chhabria, Huixuan Tang, and 2 more authors

Nov 2021

US Patent 11,182,914

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Three-dimensional imaging with spatial and temporal coding for depth camera assembly

Fengqiang Li, Zihe Gao, and Michael Hall

Jan 2021

US Patent 10,902,623
Selective propagation of depth measurements using stereoimaging

Michael Hall, Xinqiao Liu, Zhaoming Zhu, Rajesh Lachhmandas Chhabria, Huixuan Tang, and 2 more authors

Feb 2021

US Patent 10,929,997
Switchable fringe pattern illuminator

Zihe Gao, Michael Hall, Qing Chao, Zhaoming Zhu, and Tin Komljenovic

Jul 2021

US Patent 11,070,789
Dynamic illumination control for depth determination

Fengqiang Li, Zihe Gao, Michael Hall, Zhaoming Zhu, Shuochen Su, and 3 more authors

Dec 2021

US Patent 11,195,291
High frame rate reconstruction with N-tap camera sensor

Fengqiang Li, and Zihe Gao

Dec 2021

US Patent 11,194,160