Stimulated Raman Adiabatic Passage (STIRAP) as a Route to Achieving Optical Control in Plasmonics

Optical properties of ensembles of three-level quantum emitters coupled to plasmonic systems are investigated employing a self-consistent model. It is shown that stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) technique can be successfully adopted to control optical properties of hybrid materials with collective effects present and playing an important role in light-matter interactions. We consider a core-shell nanowire comprised of a silver core and a shell of coupled quantum emitters and utilize STIRAP scheme to control scattering efficiency of such a system in a frequency and spatial dependent manner. After the STIRAP induced population transfer to the final state takes place, the core-shell nanowire exhibits two sets of Rabi splittings with Fano lineshapes indicating strong interactions between two different atomic transitions driven by plasmon near-fields.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, accepted, Physical Review

Perfect coupling of light to surface plasmons with ultra-narrow linewidths

We examine the coupling of electromagnetic waves incident normal to a thin silver film that forms an oscillatory grating embedded between two otherwise uniform, semi-infinite half spaces. Two grating structures are considered, in one of which the mid point of the Ag film remains fixed whereas the thickness varies sinusoidally, while in the other the mid point oscillates sinusoidally whereas the film thicknesses remains fixed. On reducing the light wavelength from the long wavelength limit, we encounter signatures in the transmission, T, and reflection, R, coefficients associated with: i) the short-range surface plasmon mode, ii) the long-range surface plasmon mode, and iii) electromagnetic diffraction tangent to the grating. The first two features can be regarded as generalized (plasmon) Wood's anomalies whereas the third is the first-order conventional (electromagnetic) Wood's anomaly. The energy density at the film surface is enhanced for wavelengths corresponding to these three anomalies, particularly for the long range plasmon mode in thin films. When exciting the silver film with a pair of waves incident from opposite directions, we find that by adjusting the grating oscillation amplitude and fixing the relative phase of the incoming waves to be even or odd, T+R can be made to vanish for one or the other of the plasmon modes; this corresponds to perfect coupling (impedance matching in the language of electrical engineering) between the incoming light and these modes.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures. accepted J. Chem. Phy

Light trapping and guidance in plasmonic nanocrystals

We illustrate the possibility of light trapping and funneling in periodic arrays of metallic nanoparticles. A controllable minimum in the transmission spectra of such constructs arises from a collective plasmon resonance phenomenon, where an incident plane wave sharply localizes in the vertical direction, remaining delocalized in the direction parallel to the crystal plane. Using hybrid arrays of different structures or different materials, we apply the trapping effect to structure the eigen-mode spectrum, introduce overlapping resonances, and hence direct the light in space in a wavelength-sensitive fashion

Gating-by-tilt of mechanosensitive membrane channels

We propose an alternative mechanism for the gating of biological membrane channels in response to membrane tension that involves a change in the slope of the membrane near the channel. Under biological membrane tensions we show that the energy difference between the closed (tilted) and open (untilted) states can far exceed kBT and is comparable to what is available under simple ilational gating. Recent experiments demonstrate that membrane leaflet asymmetries (spontaneous curvature) can strong effect the gating of some channels. Such a phenomenon would be more easy to explain under gating-by-tilt, given its novel intrinsic sensitivity to such asymmetry.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figure

Optimal design of nanoplasmonic materials using genetic algorithms as a multi-parameter optimization tool

An optimal control approach based on multiple parameter genetic algorithms is applied to the design of plasmonic nanoconstructs with pre-determined optical properties and functionalities. We first develop nanoscale metallic lenses that focus an incident plane wave onto a pre-specified, spatially confined spot. Our results illustrate the role of symmetry breaking and unravel the principles that favor dimeric constructs for optimal light localization. Next we design a periodic array of silver particles to modify the polarization of an incident, linearly-polarized plane wave in a desired fashion while localizing the light in space. The results provide insight into the structural features that determine the birefringence properties of metal nanoparticles and their arrays. Of the variety of potential applications that may be envisioned, we note the design of nanoscale light sources with controllable coherence and polarization properties that could serve for coherent control of molecular or electronic dynamics in the nanoscale.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures. submitted to J. Chem. Phy

Условия образования минеральных включений в гидротермальных метасоматитах г. Двугорбой, Южная Камчатка

Mineralogical and geochemical features of hydrothermal metasomatites of the Southern Kamchatka were studied. The probable physico-chemical conditions of formation of the studied mineral inclusions in hydrothermally altered rocks are considered.Исследования гидротермальных метасоматитов выявили их минералогические и геохимические особенности. Рассмотрены вероятные физико-химические условия образования исследованных минеральных включений в гидротермально измененных породах

Analysis of surface waves generated on subwavelength-structured silver films

Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to analyse the physical-chemical surface properties of subwavlength structured silver films and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) numerical simulations of the optical response of these structures to plane-wave excitation, we report on the origin and nature of the persistent surface waves generated by a single slit-groove motif and recently measured by far-field optical interferometry. The surface analysis shows that the silver films are free of detectable oxide or sulfide contaminants, and the numerical simulations show very good agreement with the results previously reported.Comment: 9 Figure

The Conditions of Opal Formation within the North-Mutnovskaya Volcanic Zone of Kamchatka

The characteristics of formation of the opal mineralization in the host rock within Mutnovskaya volcanic zone were studied. The type of metasomatic rock alteration and its consecutive order were established. The results of study allowed identifying the mineral inclusions in opals, which was linked to the metalliferousness of the Mutnovsky hydrothermal system. Probable mechanism of opals formation within the North Mutnovskaya zone is considered, and its characteristics are compared to those from the opal field Raduzhnoye, Primorye

The Conditions of Opal Formation within the NorthMutnovskaya Volcanic Zone of Kamchatka

Выявлены параметры образования вмещающих пород опаловой минерализации. Установлены тип метасоматоза измененных пород и его направленность. Выявлены минеральные включения в опалах, указывающие на металлоносность Мутновской гидротермальной системы. Рассмотрен вероятный механизм образования опалов Северо-Мутновской зоны, проведено сопоставление по ряду характеристик с опалами месторождения Радужное, Приморье.The characteristics of formation of the opal mineralization in the host rock within Mutnovskaya volcanic zone were studied. The type of metasomatic rock alteration and its consecutive order were established. The results of study allowed identifying the mineral inclusions in opals, which was linked to the metalliferousness of the Mutnovsky hydrothermal system. Probable mechanism of opals formation within the North Mutnovskaya zone is considered, and its characteristics are compared to those from the opal field Raduzhnoye, Primorye