Plasmon-polariton modes and optical properties of metallic superlattices

The plasmon-polariton modes in metallic superlattices are studied using coupled hydrodynamic and electromagnetic equations. At spatial periods of the order of 1000Å, we find important influences of the artificial superlattice modulation on the dispersions, which have interesting implications on the optical properties. We also find anisotropic behavior in the study of helicon modes in the presence of a static magnetic field.     

表面等离子体波在金属纳米缝超强透射中的作用(英文)

A single metallic nanoslit is employed for investigating the contribution of Surface Plasmon Polaritons(SPPs) to Extraordinary Optical Transmission(EOT) based on rigorous electromagnetic theory and the Spectrum Analysis Method(SAM). Numerical results shows that the SPP is the main factor responsible for the EOT, and a phase singularity is observed.     

表面等离子体波在金属纳米缝超强透射中的作用

A single metallic nanoslit is employed for investigating the contribution of Surface Plasmon Polaritons（SPPs） to Extraordinary Optical Transmission （EOT） based on rigorous electromagnetic theory and the Spectrum Analysis Method （SAM）. Numerical results shows that the SPP is the main factor responsible for the EOT, and a phase singularity is observed.     

Inverse design for full control of spontaneous emission using light emitting scattering optical elements

Full control of spontaneous emission is essential in various fields of optics. This work presents an inverse designed light-emitting scattering optical element that includes full control of spontaneously emitted photons (i.e., enhancement at a central frequency and suppression at neighboring frequencies) and directionality of the output beam. This is achieved by embedding a one-dimensional optical active element inside a cluster of square shaped gallium arsenide dielectric rods whose positions are optimized by a genetic algorithm. Large spontaneous emission enhancement of > 70 is predicted at the transition wavelength if high-quality sources are employed. Moreover, neighboring wavelengths are simultaneously suppressed over 10 times. Finally, the radiated beam is highly collimated to only 6 degrees and contains 30 times the energy emitted by the source placed in free space.     

Green's functions for Maxwell's equations: application to spontaneous emission

We present a new formalism for calculating the Green's function for Maxwell's equations. As our aim is to apply our formalism to light scattering at surfaces of arbitrary materials, we derive the Green's function in a surface representation. The only requirement on the material is that it should have periodicity parallel to the surface. We calculate this Green's function for light of a specific frequency and a specific incident direction and distance with respect to the surface. The material properties entering the Green's function are the reflection coefficients for plane waves at the surface. Using the close relationship between the Green's function and the density of states (DOS), we apply our method to calculate the spontaneous emission rate as a function of the distance to a material surface. The spontaneous emission rate can be calculated using Fermi's Golden Rule, which can be expressed in terms of the DOS of the optical modes available to the emitted photon. We present calculations for a finite slab of cylindrical rods, embedded in air on a square lattice. It is shown that the enhancement or suppression of spontaneous emission strongly depends on the frequency of the light. This revised version was published online in November 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Evidence of the photonic gap contribution to the guiding mechanism for strongly confined modes in the refractivelike domain

The group index dispersion and birefringence of guided modes supported by straight photonic crystal (PhC) waveguides are theoretically and experimentally investigated as a function of the waveguide width within various reduced frequency domains. Within the photonic gap and far from the Brillouin zone edges, strongly confined modes supported by narrow PhC guides exhibit both a group index and a birefringence larger than those of a deep ridge. These two results evidence the contribution of the photonic gap to the guiding mechanism in the refractivelike domain.     

Simulations of hybrid long-range plasmon modes with application to 90 degree bends

We perform rigorous simulations of hybrid long-range modes guided by a central metal core and a two-dimensional dielectric slab. We show that these modes are subject to fewer limitations than conventional long-range plasmon modes in terms of field confinement and guiding performance. These hybrid modes may offer substantial improvements for integrated plasmonic components, as illustrated here by the consideration of 90 degrees bends.     

Numerical synthesis of metallic nanostructures for enhancing the emission of a dipole through surface plasmon coupling

In this study, we numerically synthesize a two-dimensional metallic nanostructure consisting of a Au half-space and two separate Ag elliptical cylinders by the simulated annealing (SA) method. The simulated nanostructure is so designed that the surface plasmon polariton (SPP) and the localized surface plasmon (LSP) are simultaneously excited at their common resonant wavelength (535 nm), leading to the enhancement of emission of a nearby dipole source. This enhancement effect is more significant than that of the case where only one of the SPP and LSP is excited. In numerically synthesizing a metallic nanostructure, we try to maximize both the downward emission (in the direction away from the metallic structure) and the emission efficiency. A cost function is defined as some combination of the downward emission and the emission efficiency. We adjust the simulated structure by SA to minimize the cost function at a designated resonant wavelength, and calculate and analyze the spectra of downward emission and emission efficiency for the optimal structure. Other structures are also investigated for comparison. From numerical simulations, it is demonstrated that the enhancement of dipole emission is better for optimization at wavelength 535 nm than at other wavelengths. Note that the downward emission and the emission efficiency can reach maxima almost simultaneously when the SPP and the LSP couple effectively at a common resonant wavelength. This implies that the lighting efficiency of green light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can be increased by the coupling effect at a common resonant wavelength of SPP and LSP.     

Photoelectron emission from island metallic sodium films during the excitation of localized plasmon resonances

The photoelectron emission from island sodium films is studied under the action of radiation that is resonant to the collective electron excitations in the nanoparticles forming a film. Noticeable deviations from the Fowler law and an increase in the photoelectron yield are detected. The dependences of the photoeffect efficiency from these films on their structural parameters, the polarization vector, and the angle of radiation incidence are obtained.     

Identification and control of multiple leaky plasmon modes in silver nanowires

Leaky plasmon modes (LPMs) in metal nanowires (NWs), which combine the physical characteristic of both “plasmonics” and “leaky radiation”, present distinguished performances in terms of guiding and radiating light. In contrast to traditional light‐guiding in metal NWs with one single LPM, multiple LPMs are crucial for advanced uses such as augmenting data transmission channels, enhancing sensing performance, manipulating polarization and converting mode. Here, we demonstrate experimentally the control over multiple LPMs in pentagonal silver NWs. By combining far‐field real‐space imaging and leakage radiation microscopy, the three typical LPMs with fields mainly concentrating in corners surrounded by air are specifically identified. By manipulating excitation wavelengths and NW diameters, the number of the excited LPMs can be controlled. These findings reveal the physics of LPMs in silver NWs, thereby paving the way towards applying the high‐order leaky modes in silver NWs for photonic integrated circuits, nanoscale confinement, plasmonic sensing, QD‐nanowire coupling, etc.

     

On the amplified spontaneous emission noise modeling of semiconductor optical amplifiers

We perform a theoretical investigation of two modeling approaches for the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) noise of a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), namely a stochastic time-domain and a deterministic frequency-domain approach. The theoretical results are compared to one another having as reference experimental measurements obtained from a commercial device. Special emphasis is placed on the modeling of the material gain as it is a key parameter in determining the ASE spectral characteristics. A comprehensive set of equations for both modeling approaches is developed and their numerical solution is analyzed in detail.     

Theoretical application of z-dependent gain coefficient to describe amplified spontaneous emission

Based on the geometrical modeling of the unified gain coefficient and the reported amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) output energy measurement ε(ASE) versus amplifying excitation length, l(AMP) in a KrF laser oscillator, we managed, as an example, to explain the ASE output energy behavior both numerically and analytically. In this approach, introducing the ASE gain-coefficient profile for the KrF laser, g(0,KrF)(ASE), was not avoidable. It was found that while the g(0,KrF)(ASE) profile follows the introduced gain-modeling formulation, it is, however, slightly lower than the KrF laser gain profile, g(0,KrF)(exp), deduced from the measurements reported by different researchers. The present approach, up to the present time, is able to explain all of the existing ambiguities on understanding the ASE behavior.     

Coupling of one-dimensionally confined optical modes in porous silicon: Spectral observation and photonic-quantum-well description

Single and double photonic-quantum-wells (PQWs) have been fabricated, using refractive-index-modulated porous silicon multilayer structures. The one-dimensionally confined optical modes observed are consistent with those calculated using the transfer matrix method. While single PQWs exhibit atom-like discrete spectral features, molecule-like energy level splitting is accessible by combining two single PQWs into a double PQW structure. Similar to an electron in a double-quantum-well structure, the energy separation between the split ‘anti-bonding’ and ‘bonding’ photonic states can be ‘tuned’ by changing the strength of inter-well coupling.     

Higher multipole surface plasmons,plasmon bands in periodic metallic heterostructures,and plasma modes of semiconductor superlattices

The electronic collective excitations are investigated for a number of different systems whose equilibrium electron density n₀(z) is spatially varying. The relation between higher multipole surface modes, waveguide like plasma modes of a low electron density layer embedded in a high density host, and plasmon bands of periodic metallic heterostructures and semiconductor superlattices is pointed out.     

Raman spectra of CdS nanocrystals in Nafion: longitudinal optical and confined acoustic phonon modes

Quantum confinement effects on the longitudinal optical and acoustic phonons in CdS nanocrystals in the strongly confined regime in the polymer matrix Nafion are studied using Raman spectroscopy. The LO-phonon modes show size-dependent asymmetric broadening though the broadening and asymmetry are less than those predicted by the phonon confinement models. Two types of confined acoustic modes corresponding to n=1, l=0 and n=1, l=2 spheroidal vibrations are observed. Softening of the spheroidal modes is observed in the strongly confined regime.     

Enhancement of spontaneous emission from the resonant modes of a photonic crystal slab single-defect cavity

Modification of the spontaneous-emission lifetime in photonic crystal single-defect resonant modes is studied with the finite-difference time domain method. We investigate spontaneous-emission enhancement from the monopole and the dipole modes of a hexagonal lattice cavity, considering the effects of the finite emitter linewidth and spectral detuning. Large spontaneous-emission enhancement of > 50 is achieved numerically from the high-quality-factor monopole mode when the emitter linewidth is comparable with the resonant-mode linewidth. However, if broad-linewidth material is used and a detuning effect is included, the dipole mode with a low quality factor and a smaller mode volume could be more advantageous for spontaneous-emission enhancement.     

Non-Gaussian statistics of an optical soliton in the presence of amplified spontaneous emission

We apply an approach based on the Fokker-Planck equation to study the statistics of optical soliton parameters in the presence of additive noise. This rigorous method not only allows us to reproduce and justify the classical Gordon-Haus formula but also leads to new exact results.     

Narrow-band multiresonant plasmon nanostructure for the coherent control of light: an optical analog of the xylophone

We demonstrate that it is possible to combine several small metallic particles in a very compact geometry without loss of their individual modal properties by adding a gold metallic film underneath. This film essentially acts as a "ground plane" which channels the optical field of each particle and decreases the interparticle coupling. The localization of the electric field can then be controlled temporally by illuminating the chain with a chirped pulse. The sign of the chirp controls the excitation sequence of the particles with great flexibility.     

Amplified spontaneous emission and its application for population of resonant states of the Xe and Kr atoms

To extend the capabilities of the existing spectroscopic methods of investigation and diagnostics of gaseous media, we consider a macroscopic effect of an increase in the rate of spontaneous emission, which results in the transition of a considerable part of excited molecules to lower-lying optically accessible states with light pulse emission along the direction of propagation of the exciting laser radiation. As an application of the effect of amplified spontaneous emission, we propose the population with its help of optically inaccessible electronic states of atoms and molecules.     

Nonlinear optical response from composites based on nanostructures consisting of an absorbing core and metallic shell near the plasmon resonance

The object of experimental study and numerical simulation is the nonlinear optical response from composites with nanoparticles consisting of a nonlinearly absorbing dielectric core and a metallic shell. It is shown that a small spread in nanoparticle sizes near the plasmon resonance may significantly change the dependence of the nonlinear optical response on the concentration of nanoparticles of each size.