Design of plasmonic nanostructures for an enhanced control over their ultrafast nonlinear optical response.
Lead Research Organisation:
King's College London
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
After a decade of existence, and driven by a remarkable expansion in research and development, plasmonics -the technology that exploit the unique optical properties of metallic nanostructures to enable routing and actively manipulating light at the nanoscale- has entered a defining period in which researchers will seek to answer a critical question: can plasmonics provide a viable technological platform which includes both passive and active nanodevices?
The design of these devices is driven by a two-fold objective: 1) to manipulate electromagnetic energy at the nanoscale, including harvesting, guiding and transferring energy, with high lateral confinement down to a few tens of nanometers, and 2) to generate ultrafast (a few femtoseconds) and strong non-linear effects with low operating powers to produce basic active functions such as transistor or lasing actions. Utilizing the resonant properties -field enhancement and spectral sensitivity- of Surface Plasmons Polaritons (SPPs) is generally thought to represent a practical avenue to achieving this objective.
However, our ability to control and manipulate light at this scale dynamically -i.e. to produce active functionalities- and in real-time through low-energy external control signals is a missing link in our aim to develop a fully integrated sub-wavelength optical platform. To date, active plasmonic systems, including thermo- and electro-optic media, quantum dots, and photochromic molecules, are achieving sensitive progress in switching and modulation applications. However, high switching times (>nanosecond) or the need for relatively strong control energy (~microJ/cm^2) to observe sensible signal modulation (35% to 80%), limit the practical use of such structures as signal processing or other active opto-electronic nanodevices.
In this context, this research aims to assess the potential for defects to enhance the non-linear optical properties of hybrid plasmonic crystals. The objective is to integrate defects, made of plasmonic cavities, in plasmonic crystals to create a focal point for electromagnetic energy stored in surface plasmon waves at the crystal's interfaces. The role of the defect is then to transfer this energy to a neighbouring non-linear material in order to change its optical properties at the femtosecond timescale, thus creating an active functionality. This research, largely based on ultrafast time-resolved near-field optical microscopy, is also expected to enhance our understanding of ultrafast energy transfers at the nanoscale- a critical expertise in designing nanodevices.
The design of these devices is driven by a two-fold objective: 1) to manipulate electromagnetic energy at the nanoscale, including harvesting, guiding and transferring energy, with high lateral confinement down to a few tens of nanometers, and 2) to generate ultrafast (a few femtoseconds) and strong non-linear effects with low operating powers to produce basic active functions such as transistor or lasing actions. Utilizing the resonant properties -field enhancement and spectral sensitivity- of Surface Plasmons Polaritons (SPPs) is generally thought to represent a practical avenue to achieving this objective.
However, our ability to control and manipulate light at this scale dynamically -i.e. to produce active functionalities- and in real-time through low-energy external control signals is a missing link in our aim to develop a fully integrated sub-wavelength optical platform. To date, active plasmonic systems, including thermo- and electro-optic media, quantum dots, and photochromic molecules, are achieving sensitive progress in switching and modulation applications. However, high switching times (>nanosecond) or the need for relatively strong control energy (~microJ/cm^2) to observe sensible signal modulation (35% to 80%), limit the practical use of such structures as signal processing or other active opto-electronic nanodevices.
In this context, this research aims to assess the potential for defects to enhance the non-linear optical properties of hybrid plasmonic crystals. The objective is to integrate defects, made of plasmonic cavities, in plasmonic crystals to create a focal point for electromagnetic energy stored in surface plasmon waves at the crystal's interfaces. The role of the defect is then to transfer this energy to a neighbouring non-linear material in order to change its optical properties at the femtosecond timescale, thus creating an active functionality. This research, largely based on ultrafast time-resolved near-field optical microscopy, is also expected to enhance our understanding of ultrafast energy transfers at the nanoscale- a critical expertise in designing nanodevices.
Planned Impact
Energy, health, and education are unarguably areas that need immediate attention with strong commitment in research, development, and training in order to build a sustainable society. These are the main areas this work aims to impact. This will occur directly or through selected intermediaries such as the information and technology industry. In particular, the Physics Department at King's has a strong ongoing partnership with several major players in this industry including INTEL, Seagate, Ericsson, Oxonica, and IMEC, with whom exchange and transfer of scientific and technical expertise take place on a continuous basis. How will this industry benefit from this work is a consequence of the crucial stage this industry has recently entered where the integration of optical devices (fast but bulky) and electronic devices (slow but highly integrable) would provide a giant leap in the performance of opto-electronic devices. These hybrid nanodevices are to be fast, strongly integrated, and not least, energy efficient. The research proposed here should therefore provide valuable knowledge for progress toward developing this new technology in terms of systems studied -plasmonic systems will play a pivotal role on the development of nanometer scale devices- and in terms of characterization technique that is resolved temporally, spatially, and energetically. In particular, enhancing the non-linear optical properties of plasmonic systems will provide grounds for the development of low-power consumption lasers and modulators, as well as ultra-sensitive detectors-all of which are integral components of an ultra-integrated circuitry platform. Understanding energy flow at the nanoscale will also allow us to improve the efficiency of solar cells and ultimately help design artificial systems that will overcome the theoretical efficiency limitations dictated by currently used materials such as silicon, to name but one. The potential benefits in terms of energy self-sufficiency and subsequent environmental impact are therefore immense. The health care industry will be a natural beneficiary from this research as well. Nanotechnology is increasingly applied to medical care (~30,000 patents in the last decade) from the development of diagnostic devices to the treatment of patients. However, applications are often constrained by bio-compatibility, lack of targeted (where is the treatment needed and what is it reacting with) treatment, and our finite knowledge of the complex nanoscale machinery of the human body limits the extend to which nanotechnology impacts this field today. Here again, our understanding of the driving forces governing the inner-workings of nanoscale systems and how these systems interact and exchange energy with their environment is central to the development of bio-compatible devices, will offer the capabilities to manufacture efficient and targeted diagnostics test and treatments, leading to better decease prevention and decreased hospital stays. On the educational front, the constant decline in interest for science witnessed in UK classrooms over the past decade is amongst the factors threatening the competitiveness of this country on the world stage. This has a direct impact on the quality of the research carried out and the innovative output of this research, whether in academia or in industry. This is particularly evident when comparing the EU's patent output -the UK situation is not an artefact- with the USA's and increasingly Asian countries. In this context, the proposed research will positively impact UK's competitiveness by implementing an original and state-of-the-art research program in nanosciences at King's. This will directly benefit KCL's students in their training but with the proper outreach strategy, should also be beneficial to the broader public and help attract, train and advise the next generations of scientists and engineers -a crucial element for UK's increased and sustained competitiveness.
Publications
Marino G
(2019)
Spontaneous photon-pair generation from a dielectric nanoantenna
in Optica
Marino G
(2018)
Second-Harmonic Generation from Hyperbolic Plasmonic Nanorod Metamaterial Slab
in Laser & Photonics Reviews
McPolin CP
(2017)
Universal switching of plasmonic signals using optical resonator modes.
in Light, science & applications
Neira A
(2018)
All-optical switching in silicon photonic waveguides with an epsilon-near-zero resonant cavity [Invited]
in Photonics Research
Neira AD
(2014)
Ultrafast all-optical modulation with hyperbolic metamaterial integrated in Si photonic circuitry.
in Optics express
Nicholls L
(2017)
Ultrafast synthesis and switching of light polarization in nonlinear anisotropic metamaterials
in Nature Photonics
Nicholls L.H.
(2017)
Overcoming material limitations of nonlinear dynamics using metamaterial resonances
in Optics InfoBase Conference Papers
Nicholls LH
(2019)
Designer photonic dynamics by using non-uniform electron temperature distribution for on-demand all-optical switching times.
in Nature communications
Peruch S
(2017)
Geometry Defines Ultrafast Hot-Carrier Dynamics and Kerr Nonlinearity in Plasmonic Metamaterial Waveguides and Cavities
in Advanced Optical Materials
Description | We have discovered the ability for plasmonic crystals (the equivalent of photonic crystals but for surface plasmon polaritons) to demonstrate unusually strong nonlinear optical properties as a result of the introduction of defects in the crystal. This is a requirement for the design of active optical functionalities based on low-powered nonlinear processes. By engineering metasurfaces based on split-disk resonators, we have demonstrated a very strong second- and third-harmonic generation which can be controlled by external control light. Metasurfaces have been shown as a powerful platform for engineering of nonlinear optical properties. |
Exploitation Route | The problems addressed within this project have both scientific and potential economic impacts. From the economic standpoint, 2 patents have been filed and procedures are in place at King's to find suitable commercial outcomes for these inventions. At the academic level, the science underlying this work is being disseminated through the conventional routes (peer-review literature and conferences). Additionally, some of the output from this research is being presented to outreach events in the UK. |
Sectors | Energy Other |
Description | The work performed in the project has lead to the discovery and development of integrated optical functionalities resulting in intellectual property. Two patents have been filed this year and ongoing efforts, with the support of dedicated KCL staff, are on finding commercialisation pathways. |
First Year Of Impact | 2014 |
Description | ERC Advanced Grant |
Amount | € 2,737,327 (EUR) |
Organisation | European Union |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 08/2018 |
End | 08/2023 |
Description | International Exchanges 2017 Round 2 |
Amount | £11,995 (GBP) |
Funding ID | International Exchanges 2017 Round 2 |
Organisation | The Royal Society |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2017 |
End | 12/2019 |
Description | US ARO |
Amount | $600,000 (USD) |
Organisation | US Army |
Sector | Public |
Country | United States |
Start | 04/2016 |
End | 04/2019 |
Description | US Army Research Office |
Amount | $35,000 (USD) |
Organisation | US Army |
Sector | Public |
Country | United States |
Start | 07/2013 |
End | 12/2013 |
Description | studentship |
Amount | £140,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2015 |
End | 08/2019 |
Description | Argonne |
Organisation | Argonne National Laboratory |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Investigation on nonlinear and ultrafast response of plasmonic nanostructures |
Collaborator Contribution | User access to the ultrafast spectroscopy facilities |
Impact | Publications, conference papers, exchange visits, internal ANL collaborative grants |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | UTT |
Organisation | University of Technology of Troyes |
Country | France |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Investigation of optical and nonlinear optical properties of Al plasmonic crystals |
Collaborator Contribution | Fabrication of the samples of plasmonic crystals based on Al metal for harmonic generation in UV spectral range. |
Impact | Several joint papers have published and in preparation. |
Start Year | 2015 |
Title | Cavity structure for plasmonic signal modulation and switching |
Description | A plasmonic switching device and method of providing a plasmonic switching device. 5 The device comprises: a resonant cavity formed between surfaces, one of said surfaces comprising a plasmonic system operable to support at least one plasmonic mode; an electromagnetic radiation feed arranged to couple electromagnetic radiation into the resonant cavity and the at least one plasmonic mode. The resonant cavity is arranged to be switchable between: a first state in which the resonant cavity has an operational 10 characteristic selected to allow resonance of the electromagnetic radiation at a frequency of the at least one plasmonic mode such that excitation of the at least one plasmonic mode is inhibited in the plasmonic system; and a second state in which the operational characteristic of the resonant cavity is adjusted to inhibit resonance of the electromagnetic radiation at a frequency of said at least one plasmonic mode such that 15 said at least one plasmonic mode is excited in said plasmonic system. The cavity structure of aspects and embodiments described herein can offer high extinction ratios, together with reduced dimensions when compared to similar systems. The structures of aspects and embodiments described herein can be tailored for integration with VCSELs, which offer an efficient platform for SPP excitation, allowing the realisation of, 20 for example, an on-chip, plasmonic switch. |
IP Reference | GB1400393.3 |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | 2014 |
Licensed | No |
Impact | none yet |
Title | Integrated photonic metamaterials for optical functionalities |
Description | An electromagnetic waveguide transmission modulation device and method of providing such a device. The device comprises: at least one hyperbolic metamaterial element coupleable to the waveguide. The hyperbolic metamaterial element is arranged to be adjustable between: a first mode in which the metamaterial element is configured to support a resonant mode matched to a propagation vector of a 10 propagation mode supported by the waveguide such that propagation of a mode along the waveguide is affected; and a second mode in which the metamaterial element is configured to inhibit support of the resonant mode matched to the propagation vector, such that interruption of propagation of a propagation vector along the waveguide is prevented. The first aspect recognises that a device can be directly integrated with 15 waveguide, for example, silicon waveguide, technology. If integrated, a device in accordance with aspects and embodiments may provide a smaller device footprint, increase possible operating frequency and bandwidth and reduce power consumption when compared with alternative approaches. |
IP Reference | GB1400398.2 |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | 2014 |
Licensed | No |
Impact | none yet. |
Description | Cleo Europe 2015: Munich |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Ultrafast Kerr nonlinearities in multimodal plasmonic metamaterials:elliptic, hyperbolic and epsilon-near zero regimes S. Peruch, A. Neira, G. Wurtz, and A. Zayats; Ultrafast All-Optical Switching of Surface Plasmon Polariton Modes via Fano Resonances C. McPolin, N. Olivier, J.-S. Bouillard D. O'Connor A. Krasavin1, W. Dickson G. Wurtz1, and A. Zayats Bulk plasmon-polaritons in hyperbolic nanorod metamaterial waveguides N. Vasilantonakis, M. Nasir, W. Dickson, G.A. Wurtz, and A.V. Zayats; |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://2015.cleoeurope.org/documents/CLEO%202015%20advance%20programme%20web.pdf |
Description | IOP lectures |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The talk lead to discussions on the subject of optics, nano science and nanotechnology. Several students came to London to visit the lab. Potential internships were discussed for the future. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012,2013 |
Description | Nanophotonics and Related Techniques Conference (NFO12) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | "Design of a nanorod metamaterial for enhanced fast nonlinearities," A. Neira, G. Wurtz, P. Ginzburg, W. Dickson, N. Mazhar, A. V. Zayats, talk at the 12th Near-field Optics, Nanophotonics and Related Techniques Conference (NFO12), San Sebastian (Spain), 2012. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
URL | http://www.nfo12.org/ |
Description | SPIE Optics and Photonics, San Diego 2015 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Transverse spin of surface plasmon polaritons and spin-orbit coupling effects in light scattering by plasmonic nanostructures, F. J. Rodriguez Fortuno, D. O'Connor, P. Ginzburg, G. A. Wurtz, A. V. Zayats, keynote talk at the Plasmonics conference, Light emission in nonlocal plasmonic metamaterials, V. A. Podolskiy, B. Wells, P. Ginzburg, A. V. Zayats, invited talk at the Metamaterials conference, SPIE Optics and Photonics congress Nonlinearities in hyperbolic plasmonic metamaterials, A. Neira, S. Peruh, G. Marini, M. Nasir, A. V. Krasavin, N. Olivier, W. Dickson, G. A. Wurtz, A. V. Zayats, invited talk at the Metamaterials conference, |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |