Plasmon hybridization in stacked double crescents arrays fabricated by colloidal lithography

We apply colloidal lithography to construct stacked nanocrescent dimer structures with an exact vertical alignment and a separation distance of approximately 10 nm. Highly ordered, large arrays of these nanostructures are accessible using nonclose-packed colloidal monolayers as masks. Spatially separated nanocrescent dimers are obtained by application of spatially distributed colloids. The polarization dependent optical properties of the nanostructures are investigated in detail and compared to single crescents. The close proximity of the nanocrescents leads to a coupling process that gives rise to new optical resonances which can be described as linear superpositions of the individual crescents' plasmonic modes. We apply a plasmon hybridization model to explain the spectral differences of all polarization dependent resonances and use geometric arguments to explain the respective shifts of the resonances. Theoretical calculations are performed to support the hybridization model and extend it to higher order resonances not resolved experimentally.     

Out-of-plane reflection and refraction of light by anisotropic optical antenna metasurfaces with phase discontinuities

Experiments on ultrathin anisotropic arrays of subwavelength optical antennas display out-of-plane refraction. A powerful three-dimensional (3D) extension of the recently demonstrated generalized laws of refraction and reflection shows that the interface imparts a tangential wavevector to the incident light leading to anomalous beams, which in general are noncoplanar with the incident beam. The refracted beam direction can be controlled by varying the angle between the plane of incidence and the antenna array.     

Plasmon hybridization reveals the interaction between individual colloidal gold nanoparticles confined in an optical potential well

The understanding of interaction forces between nanoparticles in colloidal suspension is central to a wide range of novel applications and processes in science and industry. However, few methods are available for actual characterization of such forces at the single particle level. Here we demonstrate the first measurements of colloidal interactions between two individual diffusing nanoparticles using a colorimetric assay based on plasmon hybridization, that is, strong near-field coupling between localized surface plasmon resonances. The measurements are possible because individual gold nanoparticle pairs can be loosely confined in an optical potential well created by a laser tweezers. We quantify the degree of plasmon hybridization for a large number of individual particle pairs as a function of increasing salt concentration. The data reveal a considerable heterogeneity at the single particle level but the estimated average surface separations are in excellent agreements with predictions based on the classical theory of Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey, and Overbeek.     

Large-area flexible nanostripe electrodes featuring plasmon hybridization engineering

Multifunctional flexible Au electrodes based on one-dimensional(1D)arrays of plasmonic gratings are nanofabricated over large areas with an engineered variant of laser interference lithography optimized for low-cost transparent templates.Au nanostripe(NS)arrays achieve sheet resistance in the order of 20 Ohm/square on large areas(～cm²)and are characterized by a strong and dichroic plasmonic response which can be easily tuned across the visible(VIS)to near-infrared(NIR)spectral range by tailoring their cross-sectional morphology.Stacking vertically a second nanostripe,separated by a nanometer scale dielectric gap,we form near-field coupled Au/SiO₂/Au dimers which feature hybridization of their localized plasmon resonances,strong local field-enhancements and a redshift of the resonance towards the NIR range.The possibility to combine excellent transport properties and optical transparency on the same plasmonic metasurface template is appealing in applications where low-energy photon management is mandatory like e.g.,in plasmon enhanced spectroscopies or in photon harvesting for ultrathin photovoltaic devices.The remarkable lateral order of the plasmonic NS gratings provides an additional degree of freedom for tailoring the optical response of the multifunctional electrodes via the excitation of surface lattice resonances,a Fano-like coupling between the broad localised plasmonic resonances and the collective sharp Rayleigh modes.     

Nonlinear metasurfaces: a paradigm shift in nonlinear optics

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Active control of highly efficient third-harmonic generation in ultrathin nonlinear metasurfaces

Active electric control of highly efficient third harmonic generation was realized in an ultrathin nonlinear metasurface by using a nanocomposite consisting of gold nanoparticles dispersed in polycrystalline strontium titanate as the electro-optic material. Owing to the nonlinearity enhancement associated with the slow light effect, quantum confinement effect, and field-reinforcement, a high conversion efficiency of 3 × 10⁻⁵ was obtained, which is two orders of magnitude larger than previously reported efficiencies at comparable pump intensities. A modulation of 12% in the intensity of the third harmonic generation and a 30-nm shift in the transparency window center were achieved by varying the applied voltage from −30 V to zero. Our results pave the way toward the realization of multi-functional integrated photonic devices and chips based on metasurfaces.     

Efficient tunability and circuit model of nested-U nanoresonators in optical metasurfaces

Tunable metasurfaces can be employed to physically or mechanically engineer and control electromagnetic wave properties like reflection and transmission and their associated spectral characteristics like resonance frequency. Here, we propose highly tunable and sensitive metasurfaces composed of an array of a nested double U-shaped (NDU) nanoresonators on elastic polydimethylsiloxane substrate, operating in infrared region. The mechanical deformation varies the spaces between the coupled resonator elements which in turn leads to corresponding variations in the equivalent capacitance and inductance between the U-shaped elements causing efficient tunability. In addition to the higher signal strengths, it is also reported that the resonant frequency of the proposed metasurface exhibits substantial spectral shift. The observed remarkable trends are adequately verified by the developed equivalent circuit model for the proposed NDU-structure.     

三角形硅烯纳米结构的等离激元激发

基于含时密度泛函理论,研究了等边三角形硅烯纳米结构的等离激元特性。沿三角形所在平面方向激发时,体系中有2个主要的等离激元共振带,其线形基本相同。这一特性与体系的边界构型以及尺度大小无关。沿垂直于纳米结构所在的平面方向激发时,体系中有2个等离激元共振带,分别位于6.8eV和15eV附近。这2个主要等离激元共振带的线形与三角形的大小以及边界的构型无关,其共振强度依赖于体系尺度的大小。     

High-Curie-temperature ferromagnetism in self-organized Ge1-xMnx nanocolumns

The emerging field of spintronics would be dramatically boosted if room-temperature ferromagnetism could be added to semiconductor nanostructures that are compatible with silicon technology. Here, we report a high-TC (>400K) ferromagnetic phase of (Ge,Mn) epitaxial layer. The manganese content is 6%, and careful structural and chemical analyses show that the Mn distribution is strongly inhomogeneous: we observe eutectoid growth of well-defined Mn-rich nanocolumns surrounded by a Mn-poor matrix. The average diameter of these nanocolumns is 3nm and their spacing is 10nm. Their composition is close to Ge(2)Mn, which corresponds to an unknown germanium-rich phase, and they have a uniaxially elongated diamond structure. Their Curie temperature is higher than 400K. Magnetotransport reveals a pronounced anomalous Hall effect up to room temperature. A giant positive magnetoresistance is measured from 7,000% at 30K to 200% at 300K and 9T, with no evidence of saturation.     

全金属超表面在电磁波相位调控中的应用及进展

全金属超表面是由亚波长金属单元所组成的结构阵列,其在调控电磁波相位方面展现出了效率高、带宽大等特点,并且相较于金属-介质混合型超表面,全金属超表面具有优良的热学和机械性能,如耐高温、强度大、延展性好等,这使得其可以应用于高温高压等极端复杂环境中。本文对近年来全金属超表面取得的研究进展进行了简要的归纳总结,主要介绍了其在构建高效、多功能平面光学器件以及多频谱电磁隐身中的应用,并对其未来的发展方向进行了展望。

     

Ordered, self-organized cobalt nanodots in Co-diamond-like carbon thin films

A formation process for ordered, self-organized cobalt (Co) nanodots in diamond-like carbon (DLC) thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering in a plasma-assisted Ar/CH4 discharge is presented. episilon-Co dots -5 nm in diameter, separated by 1-2 nm DLC boundaries and arranged in hexagonal arrays were produced on Si substrates. The formation mechanism relies on a self-organization process which is based on surface energy minimization and local magnetic field interaction. The proposed plasma-assisted process presents a controlled and cost-effective bottom-up nanofabrication approach for the production of well-ordered magnetic nanodots based on self-organization.     

Kinetic versus strain formation of self-organized nanoholes in manganite thin films

We report on the formation of self-organized rows of pits in highly epitaxial La(2/3)Sr(1/3)MnO(3) thin films on top of substrates having different structural misfits by rf magnetron sputtering. The best-defined pits form in coherently grown films at a low misfit irrespective of its nature (tensile or compressive stress). It is also found that the pit rows align along the step edges, which indicates in-phase growth instability with the step edges, irrespective of the misfit. However, out-of-phase pit rows are also found when the terrace width increases due to a decrease of the miscut angle. Pit's volume scales inversely with the lattice mismatch suggesting that structural strain alone does not favor the formation of pits. The formation of pits is analyzed within a thermodynamic model.     

Plasmon absorption of gold nanoparticles in linear polymer solutions

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) are stable in a number of linear polymer solutions, including poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone), hydroxyethyl cellulose, and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). Of these, PEO, with a wide range of molecular mass (from 0.3 to 8 MDa), is particularly attractive for exploring the interaction between the GNPs and polymer molecules. We have found that the colors of the GNPs are significantly different in PEO solutions at concentrations below and above entanglement threshold concentration (Phi*), which allows one to determine Phi* values for different sizes of PEO from the inflection points of the plots of the absorbance at 600 nm against the concentration of PEO. The Phi* values are close to those obtained by the viscosity measurements, showing the usefulness of this simple method. Transmission electron microscopy images have confirmed that the change in the absorbance is due to the aggregation and/or agglomeration of the GNPs in PEO solutions.