NSF Materials World Network: Nonlinear Optical Metamaterials - Fabrication, Characterization, Theory

This NSF Materials World Network Program allows research into a new class of artificial nanophotonic materials, which make use of our ability to use nanofabrication in conjunction with intrinsic materials properties to tailor the linear and nonlinear optical response of those metamaterials. The main challenges towards a comprehensive understanding and experimental realization of nonlinear optical properties of metamaterials are that a theory of surface and bulk nonlinear optics of metamaterials is yet to be developed, and a practical means to fabricate and test such a theory are missing as well. The main goal of this research program is to achieve these milestones. The program synergistically matches three collaborators, two in the UK and one in the US, with an established record of collaboration to investigate the properties and materials strategies for fabricating these materials. The central rationale for the group is that the UK group provides strong theoretical and fabrication capabilities while the US group provides fabrication, optical testing, and materials capabilities. In addition, we will make use of local instrumentation capabilities in both the UK and the US to fabricate and test these materials. The program is constructed to enable travel to and from each country by students and to a more limited extent the professors. The research to be undertaken here has several areas of broad impact. First, it is a project, which will foster an interdisciplinary examination of the fundamental materials science of artificial metamaterials, which includes fabrication, materials physics, optical physics, and theory. Second it will enable two groups in the US and the UK, with a strong history of interactions and complementary expertise and capabilities to collaborate. This work will involve the opportunity for both graduate and undergraduate students to collaborate and travel in an international setting. Third, the program has concrete plans and procedures to seek out recruitment of diverse student collaborators. Our immediate record in this area is strong including one woman PhD student in theory and two undergraduates. Recruitment for this program will be done via four outreach talks to undergrads at Columbia in Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics Departments every year via active participation in research opportunities for undergraduates and undergraduate research opportunities program at Columbia. Fourth, the project will enable students to collaborate via extended visits and shorter trips with a major National Laboratory, i.e. Brookhaven, in their new Nanocenter, which one of the PIs was the founding director, as well as the London Centre for Nanotechnology, a facility shared by the University College London and Imperial College London.