A method of laser-writing submicron pixels with tunable circular polarization and write-read-erase-reuse capability on Bi.sub.2Se.sub.3/WS.sub.2 at room temperature, comprising the steps of applying a laser to the Bi.sub.2Se.sub.3/WS.sub.2, writing a submicron pixel, wherein the submicron pixel has a circular polarization, modifying the circular polarization, allowing the circular polarization to be tuned across a range of 39.9%, tuning photoluminescence intensity, and tuning photoluminescence peak position. A method of growing Bi.sub.2Se.sub.3/WS.sub.2 as a nano-material or two-dimensional heterostructure for laser-writing submicron pixels with tunable circular polarization and write-read-erase-reuse capability on the Bi.sub.2Se.sub.3/WS.sub.2 heterostructure at room temperature.

The invention refers to an ultrafast quench based nonvolatile bistable device which consists of an active material on a passive or active substrate which changes its physical properties, after exposure to a sufficiently temporally short external perturbation causing an ultrafast quench. The perturbation can be from an external ultrashort laser pulse or ultrafast electrical pulse from an electrooptic device or any other generator of ultrashort pulses. This change of the materials properties can be detected as a change of optical properties or electrical resistance. The dielectric properties can be reverted back to their original state by the application of a heat pulse applied by an electrical heater within the device or an external laser.