Plasmon Enhanced Light Matter Interactions

This book highlights cutting-edge research in surface plasmons, discussing the different types and providing a comprehensive overview of their applications. Surface plasmons (SPs) receive special attention in nanoscience and nanotechnology due to their unique optical, electrical, magnetic, and catalytic properties when operating at the nanoscale. The excitation of SPs in metal nanostructures enables the manipulation of light beyond the diffraction limit, which can be utilized for enhancing and tailoring light-matter interactions and developing ultra-compact high-performance nanophotonic devices for various applications. With clear and understandable illustrations, tables, and descriptions, this book provides physicists, materials scientists, chemists, engineers, and their students with a fundamental understanding of surface plasmons and device applications as a basis for future developments.

This thesis presents a comprehensive theoretical description of classical and quantum aspects of plasmonics in three and two dimensions, and also in transdimensional systems containing elements with different dimensionalities. It focuses on the theoretical understanding of the salient features of plasmons in nanosystems as well as on the multifaceted aspects of plasmon-enhanced light–matter interactions at the nanometer scale. Special emphasis is given to the modeling of nonclassical behavior across the transition regime bridging the classical and the quantum domains. The research presented in this dissertation provides useful tools for understanding surface plasmons in various two- and three-dimensional nanostructures, as well as quantum mechanical effects in their response and their joint impact on light–matter interactions at the extreme nanoscale. These contributions constitute novel and solid advancements in the research field of plasmonics and nanophotonics that will help guide future experimental investigations in the blossoming field of nanophotonics, and also facilitate the design of the next generation of truly nanoscale nanophotonic devices.

This volume presents a considerable number of interrelated contributions dealing with the new scientific ability to shape and control matter and electromagnetic fields on a sub-wavelength scale. The topics range from the fundamental ones, such as photonic metamateriials, plasmonics and sub-wavelength resolution to the more applicative, such as detection of single molecules, tomography on a micro-chip, fluorescence spectroscopy of biological systems, coherent control of biomolecules, biosensing of single proteins, terahertz spectroscopy of nanoparticles, rare earth ion-doped nanoparticles, random lasing, and nanocoax array architecture. The various subjects bridge over the disciplines of physics, biology and chemistry, making this volume of interest to people working in these fields. The emphasis is on the principles behind each technique and on examining the full potential of each technique. The contributions that appear in this volume were presented at a NATO Advanced Study Institute that was held in Erice, Italy, 3-18 July, 2011. The pedagogical aspect of the Institute is reflected in the topics presented in this volume.

This book discusses a new class of photonic devices, known as surface plasmon nanophotonic structures. The book highlights several exciting new discoveries, while providing a clear discussion of the underlying physics, the nanofabrication issues, and the materials considerations involved in designing plasmonic devices with new functionality. Chapters written by the leaders in the field of plasmonics provide a solid background to each topic.

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have attracted tremendous interest since the study of graphene in the early 21st century. With their thickness in the angstrom-to-nanometer range, 2D materials, including graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides, phosphorene, silicene, and other inorganic and organic materials, can be an ideal platform to study fundamental many-body interactions because of reduced screening and can also be further engineered for nanophotonic applications. This book compiles research outcomes of leading groups in the field of 2D materials for nanophotonic physics and devices. It describes research advances of 2D materials for various nanophotonic applications, including ultrafast lasers, atomically thin optical lenses, and gratings to inelastically manipulate light propagation, their integrations with photonic nanostructures, and light–matter interactions. The book focuses on actual applications, while digging into the physics underneath. It targets advanced undergraduate- and graduate-level students of nanotechnology and researchers in nanotechnology, physics, and chemistry, especially those with an interest in 2D materials.

The investigation of light-matter interactions in materials, especially those on the nanoscale, represents perhaps the most promising avenue for scientific progress in the fields of photonics and plasmonics. This book examines a variety of topics, starting from fundamental principles, leading to the current state of the art research. For example, this volume includes a chapter on the sensing of biological molecules with optical resonators (microspheres) combined with plasmonic systems, where the response this system are described in a fundamental and elegant manner using coupled mode theory. Symmetry plays a major role in the book. One chapter on time reversal symmetry in electromagnetic theory describes how to control the properties of light (e.g. scattering and directionality of the flow of light) in materials with certain topological invariants. Another chapter where symmetry is prominent reformulates, using a gentle and pedagogical approach, Maxwell’s Equations into a new set of fields that reveal a “handedness” symmetry in electromagnetic theory, which can be applied to photonic systems in, for example, the sensing of chiral molecules and understanding the conditions for zero reflection. Also, for students and researchers starting in the field of nanoplasmonics, the book includes a tutorial on the finite element time domain simulation of nanoplasmonic systems. Other topics include photonic systems for quantum computing, nanoplasmonics, and optical properties of nano and bulk materials. The authors take a pedagogical approach to their topic, making the book an excellent reference for graduate students and scientists starting in the fields of photonics or plasmonics.

Light, Plasmonics and Particles focuses on the fundamental science and engineering applications of light scattering by particles, aerosols and hydrosols, and of localized plasmonics. The book is intended to be a self-contained and coherent resource volume for graduate students and professionals in the disciplines of materials science, engineering and related disciplines of physics and chemistry. In addition to chapters related to fundamental concepts, it includes detailed discussion of different numerical models, experimental systems and applications. In order to develop new devices, processes and applications, we need to advance our understanding of light-matter interactions. For this purpose, we need to have a firm grasp of electromagnetic wave phenomena, and absorption and scattering of waves by different size and shape geometrical objects. In addition, understanding of tunneling of waves based on electron and lattice vibrations and coupling with the thermal fluctuations to enhance near-field energy transfer mechanisms are required for the development of future energy harvesting devices and sensors. Reviews the fundamental science, available computational tools, experimental systems, and a wide range of applications of plasmonics Connects the cross-cutting science of the physics of electromagnetic light scattering by particles, plasmonics and phononic interactions at the electronic, molecular and lattice levels of materials Reviews applications of light-matter interactions of particles, aerosols, hydrosols and localized plasmonics

The manipulation of light at the nanometer scale is highly pursued for both fundamental sciences and wide applications. The diffraction limit of light sets the limit for the smallest size of photonic devices to the scale of light wavelength. Fortunately, the peculiar properties of surface plasmons in metal nanostructures make it possible to squeeze light into nanoscale volumes and enable the manipulation of light and light–matter interactions beyond the diffraction limit. Studies on surface plasmons have led to the creation of a booming research field called plasmonics. Because of its various scientific and practical applications, plasmonics attracts researchers from different fields, making it a truly interdisciplinary subject. Nanophotonics: Manipulating Light with Plasmons starts with the general physics of surface plasmons and a brief introduction to the most prominent research topics, followed by a discussion of computational techniques for light scattering by small particles. Then, a few special topics are highlighted, including surfaceenhanced Raman scattering, optical nanoantennas, optical forces, plasmonic waveguides and circuits, and gain-assisted plasmon resonances and propagation. The book discusses the fundamental and representative properties of both localized surface plasmons and propagating surface plasmons. It explains various phenomena and mechanisms using elegant model systems with well-defined structures, is illustrated throughout with excellent figures, and contains an extensive list of references at the end of each chapter. It will help graduate-level students and researchers in nanophotonics, physics, chemistry, materials science, nanoscience and nanotechnology, and electrical and electronic engineering get a quick introduction to this field.