Electromagnetic forces and torques in nanoparticles irradiated by a plane wave

Optical tweezers and optical lattices are making it possible to control small particles by means of electromagnetic forces and torques. In this context, a method is presented in this work to calculate electromagnetic forces and torques for arbitrarily-shaped objects in the presence of other objects illuminated by a plane wave. The method is based upon an expansion of the electromagnetic field in terms of multipoles around each object, which are in turn used to derive forces and torques analytically. The calculation of multipole coefficients are obtained numerically by means of the boundary element method. Results are presented for both spherical and non-spherical objects.Comment: 5 papges, 2 figure

Electron energy loss and induced photon emission in photonic crystals

The interaction of a fast electron with a photonic crystal is investigated by solving the Maxwell equations exactly for the external field provided by the electron in the presence of the crystal. The energy loss is obtained from the retarding force exerted on the electron by the induced electric field. The features of the energy loss spectra are shown to be related to the photonic band structure of the crystal. Two different regimes are discussed: for small lattice constants $a$ relative to the wavelength of the associated electron excitations $\lambda$, an effective medium theory can be used to describe the material; however, for $a\sim\lambda$ the photonic band structure plays an important role. Special attention is paid to the frequency gap regions in the latter case.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figure

Electron iduced light emission in photonic crystals

The interaction of a fast electron with a photonic crystal is studied by solving the Maxwell equations exactly for the external field provided by the electron in the presence of the crystal. The polarization currents and charges produced by the passage of the electron give rise to the emission of the so-called Smith-Purcell radiation. The emitted light probability is obtained by integrating the Poynting vector over planes parallel to the crystal at a large distance from the latter. Both reflected and transmitted light components are analyzed and related to the photonic band structure of the crystal. Emission spectra are compared with the energy loss probability and also with the reflectance and transmittance of the crystal.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, nano-7/ecoss-21 proceedings, submitted to Surface Scienc

Plasmonic amplifier of the evanescent field of free electrons

We show experimentally for the first time that free electron evanescent fields can be amplified by a plasmonic nanolayer in much that same way as optical evanescent fields are amplified in the poor-man's super-lens

Magnetic graphene metamaterial

We predict strong magnetic response by graphene split nanorings at THz frequencies allowing to achieve tunable metamaterials with very high (>100) wavelength to unit-cell ratios, not attainable by conventional noble metals

Amplifying free-electron evanescent fields

We show experimentally for the first time that free-electron evanescent fields can be amplified by a plasmonic nanolayer in a manner analogous to the way in which optical fields are amplified in the poor-man's superlens

Light localization in quasi-periodic nano-photonics carpets

In this work we show the formation of quasi-periodic field carpets and strong localization of light in the proximity of a planar quasi-crystal array of nano-holes in metallic screen

Generating Tesla magnetic pulses in plasmonic nanostructures

Bimetallic plasmonic ring resonators illuminated by femtosecond laser pulses generate transient subpicosecond thermoelectric currents and nanoconfined Tesla-scale magnetic fields

Transmission properties of a single metallic slit: From the subwavelength regime to the geometrical-optics limit

In this work we explore the transmission properties of a single slit in a metallic screen. We analyze the dependence of these properties on both slit width and angle of incident radiation. We study in detail the crossover between the subwavelength regime and the geometrical-optics limit. In the subwavelength regime, resonant transmission linked to the excitation of waveguide resonances is analyzed. Linewidth of these resonances and their associated electric field intensities are controlled by just the width of the slit. More complex transmission spectra appear when the wavelength of light is comparable to the slit width. Rapid oscillations associated to the emergence of different propagating modes inside the slit are the main features appearing in this regime.Comment: Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

X-ray photoelectron diffraction study of ultrathin PbTiO3 films

Abstract.: Full hemispherical X-ray photoelectron diffraction (XPD) experiments have been performed to investigate at the atomic level ultrathin epitaxial c-axis oriented PbTiO3 (PTO) films grown on Nb-doped SrTiO3 substrates. Comparison between experiment and theory allows us to identify a preferential ferroelectric polarization state in a 60 Å -thick PTO film. Multiple scattering theory based on a cluster-model [ Phys. Rev. B $\textbf{63}$ , 075404 (2001)] is used to simulate the experiment