161 research outputs found
Electrochemically-controlled metasurfaces with high-contrast switching at visible frequencies
Recently in nanophotonics, a rigorous evolution from passive to active
metasurfaces has been witnessed. This advancement not only brings forward
interesting physical phenomena but also elicits opportunities for practical
applications. However, active metasurfaces operating at visible frequencies
often exhibit low performance due to design and fabrication restrictions at the
nanoscale. In this work, we demonstrate electrochemically controlled
metasurfaces with high intensity contrast, fast switching rate, and excellent
reversibility at visible frequencies. We use a conducting polymer, polyaniline
(PANI), that can be locally conjugated on preselected gold nanorods to actively
control the phase profiles of the metasurfaces. The optical responses of the
metasurfaces can be in situ monitored and optimized by controlling the PANI
growth of subwavelength dimension during the electrochemical process. We
showcase electrochemically controlled anomalous transmission and holography
with good switching performance. Such electrochemically powered optical
metasurfaces lay a solid basis to develop metasurface devices for real-world
optical applications
Defect-induced activation of symmetry forbidden infrared resonances in individual metallic nanorods
International audienceWe report on the observation of second-order infrared (IR) plasmon resonances in lithographically prepared gold nanorods investigated by means of far-field microscopic IR spectroscopy. In addition to the fundamental antennalike mode, even and odd higher order resonances are observed under normal incidence of light. The activation of even-order modes under normal incidence is surprising since even orders are dipole-forbidden because of their centrosymmetric charge density oscillation. Performing atomic force microscopy and calculations with the boundary element method, we determine that excitation of even modes is enabled by symmetry breaking by structural deviations of the rods from an ideal, straight shape. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3437093
Strong magnetic response of submicron Silicon particles in the infrared
High-permittivity dielectric particles with resonant magnetic properties are
being explored as constitutive elements of new metamaterials and devices in the
microwave regime. Magnetic properties of low-loss dielectric nanoparticles in
the visible or infrared are not expected due to intrinsic low refractive index
of optical materials in these regimes. Here we analyze the dipolar electric and
magnetic response of loss-less dielectric spheres made of moderate permittivity
materials. For low material refractive index there are no sharp resonances due
to strong overlapping between different multipole contributions. However, we
find that Silicon particles with refractive index 3.5 and radius approx. 200nm
present a dipolar and strong magnetic resonant response in telecom and
near-infrared frequencies, (i.e. at wavelengths approx. 1.2-2 micrometer).
Moreover, the light scattered by these Si particles can be perfectly described
by dipolar electric and magnetic fields, quadrupolar and higher order
contributions being negligible.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure
Resolving the electromagnetic mechanism of surface-enhanced light scattering at single hot spots
Light scattering at nanoparticles and molecules can be dramatically enhanced in the 'hot spots' of optical antennas, where the incident light is highly concentrated. Although this effect is widely applied in surface-enhanced optical sensing, spectroscopy and microscopy, the underlying electromagnetic mechanism of the signal enhancement is challenging to trace experimentally. Here we study elastically scattered light from an individual object located in the well-defined hot spot of single antennas, as a new approach to resolve the role of the antenna in the scattering process. We provide experimental evidence that the intensity elastically scattered off the object scales with the fourth power of the local field enhancement provided by the antenna, and that the underlying electromagnetic mechanism is identical to the one commonly accepted in surface-enhanced Raman scattering. We also measure the phase shift of the scattered light, which provides a novel and unambiguous fingerprint of surface-enhanced light scattering
Ultrasensitive Molecule Detection Based on Infrared Metamaterial Absorber with Vertical Nanogap
Surface-enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA) spectroscopy is a powerful methodology for sensing and identifying small quantities of analyte molecules via coupling between molecular vibrations and an enhanced near-field induced in engineered structures. A metamaterial absorber (MA) is proposed as an efficient SEIRA platform; however, its efficiency is limited because it requires the appropriate insulator thickness and has a limited accessible area for sensing. SEIRA spectroscopy is proposed using an MA with a 10 nm thick vertical nanogap, and a record-high reflection difference SEIRA signal of 36% is experimentally achieved using a 1-octadecanethiol monolayer target molecule. Theoretical and experimental comparative studies are conducted using MAs with three different vertical nanogaps. The MAs with a vertical nanogap are processed using nanoimprint lithography and isotropic dry etching, which allow cost-effective large-area patterning and mass production. The proposed structure may provide promising routes for ultrasensitive sensing and detection applications
Angle-Tunable Enhanced Infrared Reflection Absorption Spectroscopy via Grating-Coupled Surface Plasmon Resonance
Surface enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA) spectroscopy is an attractive method for increasing the prominence of vibrational modes in infrared spectroscopy. To date, the majority of reports associated with SEIRA utilize localized surface plasmon resonance from metal nanoparticles to enhance electromagnetic fields in the region of analytes. Limited work has been performed using propagating surface plasmons as a method for SEIRA excitation. In this report, we demonstrate angle-tunable enhancement of vibrational stretching modes associated with a thin poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) film that is coupled to a silver-coated diffraction grating. Gratings are fabricated using laser interference lithography to achieve precise surface periodicities, which can be used to generate surface plasmons that overlap with specific vibrational modes in the polymer film. Infrared reflection absorption spectra are presented for both bare silver and PMMA-coated silver gratings at a range of angles and polarization states. In addition, spectra were obtained with the grating direction oriented perpendicular and parallel to the infrared source in order to isolate plasmon enhancement effects. Optical simulations using the rigorous coupled-wave analysis method were used to identify the origin of the plasmon-induced enhancement. Angle-dependent absorption measurements achieved signal enhancements of more than 10-times the signal in the absence of the plasmon.This article is from Analytical Chemistry86 (2014): 2610-2617, doi:10.1021/ac4038398. Posted with permission.</p
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