Plasmonics And Light Matter Interactions In Two Dimensional Materials And In Metal Nanostructures

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 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 book deals with all aspects of plasmonics, basics, applications and advanced developments. Plasmonics is an emerging field of research dedicated to the resonant interaction of light with metals. The light/matter interaction is strongly enhanced at a nanometer scale which sparks a keen interest of a wide scientific community and offers promising applications in pharmacology, solar energy, nanocircuitry or also light sources. The major breakthroughs of this field of research originate from the recent advances in nanotechnology, imaging and numerical modelling. The book is divided into three main parts: extended surface plasmons polaritons propagating on metallic surfaces, surface plasmons localized on metallic particles, imaging and nanofabrication techniques. The reader will find in the book: Principles and recent advances of plasmonics, a complete description of the physics of surface plasmons, a historical survey with emphasize on the emblematic topic of Wood's anomaly, an overview of modern applications of molecular plasmonics and an extensive description of imaging and fabrications techniques.

This thesis provides a comprehensive introduction to two active research directions within the field of plasmonics: (i) nonclassical, or quantum, aspects of the plasmonic response; and (ii) two-dimensional plasmonics, a recent innovation in the field stimulated by the advent of two-dimensional materials. It discusses the fundamentals of this field in detail, and explores several current research directions. Nonclassical plasmonics has been spurred on in recent years by the tremendous technological progress in nanofabrication and optical characterization; today, it is possible to investigate the plasmonic features of nanostructures with characteristic features in the few nanometer range. The book describes and analyzes the breakdown of the classical theory under these conditions and explores several alternatives and extensions. The unique electronic and dimensional features of novel two-dimensional materials, such as graphene, lie at the core of plasmonics' most rapidly developing subfield; two-dimensional plasmonics. This thesis provides a clear and comprehensive exposition of the central features for interested researchers looking for an entry point to this riveting area.

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

Understanding and tailoring light-matter interactions is critical to many fields, offering valuable insights into the nature of materials, as well as allowing a variety of applications such as detectors, sensors, switches, modulators, and lasers. While reducing the optical mode volume is critical to enhancing the light-matter interaction strength, plasmonic systems, with their extraordinary ability to confine the light far below the diffraction limit of light, provide intriguing platforms in boosting the light-matter interactions at nanoscale.On the other hand, atomically thin semiconductors such as few-layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), a recently discovered class of materials, exhibit unique optical properties such as large exciton binding energies, tightly-bond trion excitations, and valley-spin locking, allowing the observations of interesting photonic and electronic phenomena including strong photon-exciton coupling, valley Zeeman and valley optical Stark effect, valley Hall effect, and spin light emitting, hence serve as great candidates to study light-matter interactions in two dimensional systems.In this thesis, combining the two intriguing optical and material systems, we study light-matter interactions between 2D semiconductors and 2D plasmonic lattices, due to their compatibility with 2D semiconductors as well as strong and highly tunable plasmonic resonances. We investigated exciton-plasmon coupling by integrating MoS2 with plasmonic lattices of various geometrical designs and observed rich phenomena in different coupling regimes.We will first present a detailed study of observing exciton-plasmon coupling in weak, intermediate and strong coupling regimes via different plasmonic lattice design. We've demonstrated large Purcell enhancement in weak coupling regime, and Fano resonances in intermediate coupling regime, and exciton-plasmon polariton formation in strong coupling regime. After that, we will discuss active tuning of the coupling strengths all the way across the weak and strong coupling regime via electrical gating. Finally, we will demonstrate chiral exciton-plasmon coupling by designing chiral plasmonic lattices.

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.

Plasmonic Materials and Metastructures: Fundamentals, Current Status, and Perspectives reviews the current status and emerging trends in the development of conventional and alternative plasmonic materials. Sections cover fundamentals and emerging trends of plasmonic materials development, including synthesis strategies (chemical and physical) and optical characterization techniques. Next, the book addresses fundamentals, properties, remaining barriers for commercial translation, and the latest advances and opportunities for conventional noble metal plasmonic materials. Fundamentals and advances for alternative plasmonic materials are also reviewed, including two-dimensional hybrid materials composed of graphene, monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides, boron nitride, etc. In addition, other sections cover applications of plasmonic metastructures enabled by plasmonic materials with improved material properties and newly discovered functionalities. Applications reviewed include quantum plasmonics, topological plasmonics, chiral plasmonics, nanolasers, imaging (metalens), active, and integrated technologies. Provides an overview of materials properties, characterization and fabrication techniques for plasmonic metastructured materials Includes key concepts and advances for a wide range of metastructured materials, including metamaterials, metasurfaces and epsilon-near-zero plasmonic metastructures Discusses emerging applications and barriers to commercial translation for quantum plasmonics, topological plasmonics, nanolasers, imaging and integrated technologies