Excitation of surface electromagnetic waves in a graphene-based Bragg grating

Tamm and surface plasmon hybrid modes in anisotropic graphene-photonic-crystal structure for hemoglobin detection

We propose Tamm plasmon (TP) and surface plasmon (SP) hybrid modes for hemoglobin (Hb) detection in anisotropic graphene-photonic-crystal (GPC) structures. The proposed GPC sensor shows polarization-dependent responses due to the in-plane anisotropic property. The reflection profiles of the proposed sensor exhibit two reflectivity minima due to the simultaneous excitation of TP and SP modes. When used to detect Hb, the TP mode offers a greater figure-of-merit (FoM) than the SP mode. Using a Fourier mode spectral analysis, we observe energy coupling from the TP to the SP mode when the incident light's polarization changes, providing an option to enhance the sensor's sensitivity. We propose a double dips method (DDM) to detect Hb based on the simultaneous excitation of TP and SP modes. Using DDM, the proposed sensor offers a maximum sensitivity of 314.5 degrees/RIU and a FoM of 1746 RIU-1 when the Hb level is 189 g/L. The proposed anisotropic GPC sensor offers possible applications for highly sensitive bio-molecule detection with high FoM.

Label-free biosensing with singular-phase-enhanced lateral position shift based on atomically thin plasmonic nanomaterials

Rapid plasmonic biosensing has attracted wide attention in early disease diagnosis and molecular biology research. However, it was still challenging for conventional angle-interrogating plasmonic sensors to obtain higher sensitivity without secondary amplifying labels such as plasmonic nanoparticles. To address this issue, we developed a plasmonic biosensor based on the enhanced lateral position shift by phase singularity. Such singularity presents as a sudden phase retardation at the dark point of reflection from resonating plasmonic substrate, leading to a giant position shift on reflected beam. Herein, for the first time, the atomically thin layer of Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) on silver nanofilm was demonstrated as a novel phase-response-enhancing plasmonic material. The GST layer was not only precisely engineered to singularize phase change but also served as a protective layer for active silver nanofilm. This new configuration has achieved a record-breaking largest position shift of 439.3 μm measured in calibration experiments with an ultra-high sensitivity of 1.72 × 108 nm RIU-1 (refractive index unit). The detection limit was determined to be 6.97 × 10-7 RIU with a 0.12 μm position resolution. Besides, a large figure of merit (FOM) of 4.54 × 1011 μm (RIU∙°)-1 was evaluated for such position shift interrogation, enabling the labelfree detection of trace amounts of biomolecules. In targeted biosensing experiments, the optimized sensor has successfully detected small cytokine biomarkers (TNF-α and IL-6) with the lowest concentration of 1 × 10-16 M. These two molecules are the key proinflammatory cancer markers in clinical diagnosis, which cannot be directly screened by current clinical techniques. To further validate the selectivity of our sensing systems, we also measured the affinity of integrin binding to arginylglycylaspartic acid (RGD) peptide (a key protein interaction in cell adhesion) with different Mn2+ ion concentrations, ranging from 1 nM to 1 mM.

Novel Bloch wave excitation platform based on few-layer photonic crystal deposited on D-shaped optical fiber

With the goal of ultimate control over the light propagation, photonic crystals currently represent the primary building blocks for novel nanophotonic devices. Bloch surface waves (BSWs) in periodic dielectric multilayer structures with a surface defect is a well-known phenomenon, which implies new opportunities for controlling the light propagation and has many applications in the physical and biological science. However, most of the reported structures based on BSWs require depositing a large number of alternating layers or exploiting a large refractive index (RI) contrast between the materials constituting the multilayer structure, thereby increasing the complexity and costs of manufacturing. The combination of fiber-optic-based platforms with nanotechnology is opening the opportunity for the development of high-performance photonic devices that enhance the light-matter interaction in a strong way compared to other optical platforms. Here, we report a BSW-supporting platform that uses geometrically modified commercial optical fibers such as D-shaped optical fibers, where a few-layer structure is deposited on its flat surface using metal oxides with a moderate difference in RI. In this novel fiber optic platform, BSWs are excited through the evanescent field of the core-guided fundamental mode, which indicates that the structure proposed here can be used as a sensing probe, along with other intrinsic properties of fiber optic sensors, as lightness, multiplexing capacity and easiness of integration in an optical network. As a demonstration, fiber optic BSW excitation is shown to be suitable for measuring RI variations. The designed structure is easy to manufacture and could be adapted to a wide range of applications in the fields of telecommunications, environment, health, and material characterization.

Metal-Free, Graphene Oxide-Based Tunable Soliton and Plasmon Engineering for Biosensing Applications

The quest for auxiliary plasmonic materials with lossless properties began in the past decade. In the current study, a unique plasmonic response is demonstrated from a stratified high refractive index (HRI)-graphene oxide (GO) and low refractive index (LRI)-polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) multistack. Graphene oxide plasmon-coupled emission (GraPE) reveals the existence of strong surface states on the terminating layer of the photonic crystal (PC) framework. The chemical defects in GO thin film are conducive for unraveling plasmon hybridization within and across the multistack. We have achieved a unique assortment of metal-dielectric-metal (MDM) ensuing a zero-normal steering emission on account of solitons as well as directional GraPE. This has been theoretically established and experimentally demonstrated with a metal-free design. The angle-dependent reflectivity plots, electric field energy (EFI) profiles, and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) analysis from the simulations strongly support plasmonic modes with giant Purcell factors (PFs). The architecture presented prospects for the replacement of metal-dependent MDM and surface plasmon-coupled emission (SPCE) technology with low cost, easy to fabricate, tunable soliton [graphene oxide plasmon-coupled soliton emission (GraSE)], and plasmon [GraPE] engineering for diverse biosensing applications. The superiority of the GraPE platform for achieving 1.95 pg mL^-1 limit of detection of human IFN-γ is validated experimentally. A variety of nanoparticles encompassing metals, intermetallics, rare-earth, and low-dimensional carbon-plasmonic hybrids were used to comprehend PF and cavity hot-spot contribution resulting in 900-fold fluorescence emission enhancements on a lossless substrate, thereby opening the door to unique light-matter interactions for next-gen plasmonic and biomedical technologies.

Graphene, an Interesting Nanocarbon Allotrope for Biosensing Applications: Advances, Insights, and Prospects

Graphene, a relatively new two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterial, possesses unique structure (e.g. lighter, harder, and more flexible than steel) and tunable physicochemical (e.g. electronical, optical) properties with potentially wide eco-friendly and cost-effective usage in biosensing. Furthermore, graphene-related nanomaterials (e.g. graphene oxide, doped graphene, carbon nanotubes) have inculcated tremendous interest among scientists and industrials for the development of innovative biosensing platforms, such as arrays, sequencers and other nanooptical/biophotonic sensing systems (e.g. FET, FRET, CRET, GERS). Indeed, combinatorial functionalization approaches are constantly improving the overall properties of graphene, such as its sensitivity, stability, specificity, selectivity, and response for potential bioanalytical applications. These include real-time multiplex detection, tracking, qualitative, and quantitative characterization of molecules (i.e. analytes [H₂O₂, urea, nitrite, ATP or NADH]; ions [Hg²⁺, Pb²⁺, or Cu²⁺]; biomolecules (DNA, iRNA, peptides, proteins, vitamins or glucose; disease biomarkers such as genetic alterations in BRCA1, p53) and cells (cancer cells, stem cells, bacteria, or viruses). However, there is still a paucity of comparative reports that critically evaluate the relative toxicity of carbon nanoallotropes in humans. This manuscript comprehensively reviews the biosensing applications of graphene and its derivatives (i.e. GO and rGO). Prospects and challenges are also introduced.

Graphene-Based One-Dimensional Terahertz Phononic Crystal: Band Structures and Surface Modes

In this paper, we provide a theoretical and numerical study of the acoustic properties of infinite and semi-infinite superlattices made out of graphene-semiconductor bilayers. In addition to the band structure, we emphasize the existence and behavior of localized and resonant acoustic modes associated with the free surface of such structures. These modes are polarized in the sagittal plane, defined by the incident wavevector and the normal to the layers. The surface modes are obtained from the peaks of the density of states, either inside the bulk bands or inside the minigaps of the superlattice. In these structures, the two directions of vibrations (longitudinal and transverse) are coupled giving rise to two bulk bands associated with the two polarizations of the waves. The creation of the free surface of the superlattice induces true surface localized modes inside the terahertz acoustic forbidden gaps, but also pseudo-surface modes which appear as well-defined resonances inside the allowed bands of the superlattice. Despite the low thickness of the graphene layer, and though graphene is a gapless material, when it is inserted periodically in a semiconductor, it allows the opening of wide gaps for all values of the wave vector k// (parallel to the interfaces). Numerical illustrations of the band structures and surface modes are given for graphene-Si superlattices, and the surface layer can be either Si or graphene. These surface acoustic modes can be used to realize liquid or bio-sensors graphene-based phononic crystal operating in the THz frequency domain.

Tuning the binding behaviors of a protein YAP65WW domain on graphenic nano-sheets with boron or nitrogen atom doping

In recent years, nanomaterials have attracted considerable research attention for biological and medical related applications due to their well-recognized physical and chemical properties. However, the deep understanding of the binding process at the protein-nanomaterial interface is essential to solve the concern of nano-toxicity. Here, we study the interactions between the recently reported graphenic nano-sheets, BC₃ and C₃N, and a prototypical protein (YAP65WW domain) via atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. Our simulations reveal that elemental doping is an effective way to tune the binding characteristics of YAP65WW with two nanomaterials. While YAP65WW can be attracted by two nanomaterials, the BC₃ sheet is less able to disrupt the protein structure than C₃N. From the energy point of view, this is because protein residues demonstrate a binding preference with the trend from electron rich nitrogen to electron deficient boron. Structural analyses of the bio-nano interface revealed the formation of an ordered water shell on the BC₃ surface, which was compatible to the crystal pattern of BC₃. When a protein binds with BC₃, these interfacial water molecules protect the protein from being disrupted. We suggest that elemental doping is efficient to produce fruitful biological-effects of graphenic nanomaterials, which make it a prospective solution for the future design and fabrication of advanced nanomaterials with desired function.

2D Nanomaterial-Based Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensors for Biosensing Applications

The absorption and binding energy of material plays an important role with a large surface area and conductivity for the development of any sensing device. The newly grown 2D nanomaterials like black phosphorus transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) or graphene have excellent properties for sensing devices' fabrication. This paper summarizes the progress in the area of the 2D nanomaterial-based surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor during last decade. The paper also focuses on the structure of Kretschmann configuration, the sensing principle of SPR, its characteristic parameters, application in various fields, and some important recent works related to SPR sensors have also been discussed, based on the present and future scope of this field. The present paper provides a platform for researchers to work in the field of 2D nanomaterial-based SPR sensors.

Highly Ordered Two-Dimensional MoS2 Archimedean Scroll Bragg Reflectors as Chromatically Adaptive Fibers

Nanostructured fibers provide a basis for a unique class of multifunctional textiles, composites, and membrane applications, including those capable of chromatic modulating because of their high aspect ratio, surface area, and processing capability. Here in, we utilize two-dimensional (2D) materials including molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) and hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) to generate single layer Archimedean scroll fibers, possessing cross sections formed from a single 2D molecular layer. Chemical vapor deposited (CVD) monolayer MoS₂ (0.29-0.33% in volume) and 226-259 nm-thick poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were used to create Bragg reflector fibers, exploiting the anisotropic function, exhibiting reflection at 630-709 nm, and verifying the highly ordered nanoinclusions. The Bragg reflectors show a memory response to heating and cooling, which switches the reflection wavelength from 629 to 698 nm. We simulate the reflection and transmission spectra of MoS₂/PMMA and MoS₂/polydimethylsiloxane layered composites to provide the design of scroll fiber composites using the transfer matrix methods. Moreover, we demonstrate the incorporation of a few-layer CVD hBN into the scroll fiber composite that emits photons at 576 nm. The highly oriented layered structures extend the capability of the fiber nanocomposites to take advantage of anisotropic optical, electrical, and thermal properties unique to 2D materials.

Enhancing photoluminescence of carbon quantum dots doped PVA films with randomly dispersed silica microspheres

As a kind of excellent photoluminescent material, carbon quantum dots have been extensively studied in many fields, including biomedical applications and optoelectronic devices. They have been dispersed in polymer matrices to form luminescent films which can be used in LEDs, displays, sensors, etc. Owing to the total internal reflection at the flat polymer/air interfaces, a significant portion of the emitted light are trapped and dissipated. In this paper, we fabricate free standing flexible PVA films with photoluminescent carbon quantum dots embedded in them. We disperse silica microspheres at the film surfaces to couple out the total internal reflection. The effects of sphere densities and diameters on the enhancement of photoluminescence are experimentally investigated with a homemade microscope. The enhancement of fluorescence intensity is as high as 1.83 when the film is fully covered by spheres of 0.86 [Formula: see text]m diameter. It is worth noting that the light extraction originates from rather the scattering of individual spheres than the diffraction of ordered arrays. The mechanism of scattering is confirmed by numerical simulations. The simulated results show that the evanescent wave at the flat PVA/air interface can be effectively scattered out of the film.

Common surface structures of graphene and Au(111): The effect of rotational angle on adsorption and electronic properties

Graphene adsorption on the Au(111) surface was explored to identify its common surface structures by means of van der Waals corrected density functional theory calculations. The alignment of graphene in the form of certain rotational angles on the gold surface has an important role in lattice matching, which causes Moiré patterns, and in the electronic properties of the resulting common cell structures. Dispersive weak interactions between carbon and gold layers lead to a downward shift of Fermi energy of the adsorption system with respect to the Dirac point of graphene showing a p-type doping character. Moreover, the shift was shown to depend on the rotational angle of graphene on Au(111).

Graphene perfect absorber of ultra-wide bandwidth based on wavelength-insensitive phase matching in prism coupling

We proposed perfect absorbers of ultra-wide bandwidths based on prism coupling with wavelength-insensitive phase matching, which consists of three dielectric layers (Prism-Cavity-Air) with monolayer graphene embedded in the cavity layer. Due to inherent material dispersion of the dielectric layers, with the proper choice of the incidence angle and the cavity thickness, the proposed perfect absorbers can satisfy the phase matching condition over a wide wavelength range, inducing enormous enhancement of the absorption bandwidth. The requirement on the material dispersions of the prism and the cavity layer for the wavelength-insensitive phase matching over a wavelength range of the interest has been derived, and it has been demonstrated that the various kinds of materials can meet the requirement. Our theoretical investigation with the transfer matrix method (TMM) has revealed that a 99% absorption bandwidth of ~300 nm with perfect absorption at λ  = 1.51 μm can be achieved when BK7 and PDMS are used as the prism and the cavity layer, respectively, which is ~7 times wider than the conceptual design based on the non-dispersive materials. The full width at half maximum of our designed perfect absorber is larger than 1.5 μm.

Design of a Tunable Ultra-Broadband Terahertz Absorber Based on Multiple Layers of Graphene Ribbons

We propose and numerically demonstrate an ultra-broadband graphene-based metamaterial absorber, which consists of multi-layer graphene/dielectric on the SiO₂ layer supported by a metal substrate. The simulated result shows that the proposed absorber can achieve a near-perfect absorption above 90% with a bandwidth of 4.8 Thz. Owing to the flexible tunability of graphene sheet, the state of the absorber can be switched from on (absorption > 90%) to off (reflection > 90%) in the frequencies range of 3-7.8 Thz by controlling the Fermi energy of graphene. Moreover, the absorber is insensitive to the incident angles. The broadband absorption can be maintained over 90% up to 50°. Importantly, the design is scalable to develop broader tunable terahertz absorbers by adding more graphene layers which may have wide applications in imaging, sensors, photodetectors, and modulators.

Two-Dimensional Layered Nanomaterial-Based One-Dimensional Photonic Crystal Refractive Index Sensor

One-dimensional photonic crystal (1DPC) sensors have emerged as contenders for traditional surface plasmon resonance sensors, owing to their potential for the detection of bigger molecules and particles due to their higher interaction volume in the sensing medium. Two-dimensional layered nanomaterials, most notably graphene and dichalcogenides (e.g., MoS₂, MoSe₂, WS₂, and WSe₂), have shown higher refractive index sensitivity because of their absorption as well as adsorption property. The proposed configuration of 1DPC presented consists of alternate layers of the aforementioned nanomaterials and silicon. The performance parameters, namely the sensitivity, resolution, quality factor, and the evanescent field penetration depth, are calculated and compared with 1DPC having poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) in place of silicon. Increased shift in resonance angle and quality factor are observed by replacing PMMA with silicon, but at the cost of decreased resolution. Further, our results show that although the sensitivity and quality factor of the 1DPC sensor is less than that of the conventional surface plasmon resonance sensor (SPR) with a gold thin film, it has much higher resolution and penetration depth to make it suitable for large molecules.

Surface plasmons in suspended graphene: launching with in-plane gold nanoantenna and propagation properties

Graphene physics and plasmonics are two fields which, once combined, promise a variety of exciting applications. One of those applications is the integration of active nano-optoelectronic devices in electronic systems, using the fact that plasmons in graphene are tunable, highly confined and weakly damped. A crucial challenge remains before achieving these active devices: finding a platform enabling a high propagation of Graphene Plasmons Polaritons (GPPs). Suspended graphene presenting ultrahigh electron mobility has given rise to increasing interest. We numerically studied the plasmonic properties of suspended graphene. We propose a hybrid configuration and a set of conditions to launch graphene plasmons via an in-plane gold nanoantenna, for micrometric propagation of surface plasmons in suspended graphene. Finally, we propose a realistic optoelectronic device based on the use of suspended graphene.

Biosensors based on Bloch surface waves in one-dimensional photonic crystal with graphene nanolayers

In biosensors research, much effort has been made to achieve high sensitivity to detect lower concentrations of analyte in a solution by testing different kinds of materials. In this paper, we present a biosensor based on Bloch surface waves made of photonic crystal (PhC) including graphene nanolayers under the Kretschmann configuration. The band structures, surface modes, reflectivity, and sensitivity of the PhC biosensor are calculated by the transfer matrix method and results are compared with those of the structure without graphene layers. Our investigations show that the angular sensitivity of the biosensor considerably increases in the presence of the graphene layers. Moreover, we study the effect of the number of the graphene layers placed on the surface of the biosensor on the performance of our proposed biosensor. The results reveal that the sensitivity of the biosensor is enhanced by increasing the number of graphene layers on the surface due to the π-stacking interactions between graphene's honeycomb cells and the carbon rings in biomolecules. Furthermore, our results show that the phase sensitivity is higher than the angular sensitivity, which can promote the accuracy of the calculations.

Analytical investigation of surface plasmon excitation on a graphene sheet using four-wave mixing

In the present paper, the general conditions for exciting graphene surface plasmon polaritons (GSPPs) on a suspended graphene using nonlinear optics are investigated. The approach uses the Green's function analysis to derive GSPP fields generated under the basis of momentum conservation using four-wave mixing (FWM). Since the incident beam polarization is challenging in the nonlinear excitation of GSPPs, the significant target of this paper has been set to achieve the conditions for the third-order susceptibility tensor and the wave vectors so that the incident beams with varied polarizations are able to excite GSPPs. Nonlinear optics, in particular FWM, is utilized to compensate the mismatch between the free-space and GSPPs wave vectors. In addition, it avoids the need for applying any patterning or lithography on graphene or its substrate.

Near-field characterization of a Bloch-surface-wave-based 2D disk resonator

We present, to the best of our knowledge, the first experimental investigation of a two-dimensional disk resonator on a dielectric multilayer platform sustaining Bloch surface waves. The disk resonator has been patterned into a few tens of nanometer thin (∼λ/25) titanium dioxide layer deposited on the top of the platform. We characterize the disk resonator by multi-heterodyne scanning near-field optical microscopy. The low loss characteristics of Bloch surface waves allowed us to reach a measured quality factor of 2×10³ for a disk radius of 100 μm.

Plasmonic Zener tunneling in binary graphene sheet arrays

We investigate the plasmonic Zener tunneling (ZT) in arrays of weakly coupled graphene sheet waveguides. By alternatively arranging the graphene waveguides with two different chemical potentials, the single surface plasmon polariton (SPP) band splits into two minibands, and tunneling between them occurs at the edge of the Brillouin zone. With a linear gradient of the propagation constant introduced by appropriately tuning the chemical potential distribution over the graphene sheet, the SPPs exhibit a sequence of Bloch oscillations and ZT transitions in the arrays. The simulated tunneling rate coincides with the theoretical analysis based on the coupled-mode theory, which can be tuned by varying the chemical potential difference between adjacent graphene.

Rabi oscillations of surface plasmon polaritons in graphene-pair arrays

We investigate the Bloch mode conversion of surface plasmon polaritons in a periodic array of graphene pairs with each consisting of two separated parallel graphene sheets. The employment of graphene pair as a unit cell in the array yields two Bloch modes belonging to different bands. By periodically modulating the permittivity of dielectrics between graphene along the propagation direction, the interband transitions occur and the modes will alternatively couple to each other, similar to traditional Rabi oscillations in quantum systems. The indirect Rabi oscillations can also be observed through introducing transverse modulation momentum. The period of Rabi oscillations can be optimized by taking advantage of the flexible tunability of graphene. The study suggests that the structure have applications in optical switches and mode converters operating on deep-subwavelength scale.

Extraordinary light absorptance in graphene superlattices

Extraordinary absorption decrease in graphene superlattices in the visible range is presented. Due to competition between loss and resonant reflection at resonance, the absorption displays non-monotonic behavior. As the period number increases above a certain critical value, absorption decreases with the increase in the period number. This is in contrast to ordinary absorption for a non-resonant condition, which monotonically increases with the period number. Moreover, this extraordinary property can also be controlled by applying a gate voltage to graphene sheets. The results provide not only a new understanding of graphene physics but also an application in nanophotonics and optoelectronics.

Reduced Cytotoxicity of Graphene Nanosheets Mediated by Blood-Protein Coating

The advent and pending wide use of nanoscale materials urges a biosafety assessment and safe design of nanomaterials that demonstrate applicability to human medicine. In biological microenvironment, biomolecules will bind onto nanoparticles forming corona and endow nanoparticles new biological identity. Since blood-circulatory system will most likely be the first interaction organ exposed to these nanomaterials, a deep understanding of the basic interaction mechanisms between serum proteins and foreign nanoparticles may help to better clarify the potential risks of nanomaterials and provide guidance on safe design of nanomaterials. In this study, the adsorption of four high-abundance blood proteins onto the carbon-based nanomaterial graphene oxide (GO) and reduced GO (rGO) were investigated via experimental (AFM, florescence spectroscopy, SPR) and simulation-based (molecular dynamics) approaches. Among the proteins in question, we observe competitive binding to the GO surface that features a mélange of distinct packing modes. Our MD simulations reveal that the protein adsorption is mainly enthalpically driven through strong π-π stacking interactions between GO and aromatic protein residues, in addition to hydrophobic interactions. Overall, these results were in line with previous findings related to adsorption of serum proteins onto single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), but GO exhibits a dramatic enhancement of adsorption capacity compared to this one-dimensional carbon form. Encouragingly, protein-coated GO resulted in a markedly less cytotoxicity than pristine and protein-coated SWCNTs, suggesting a useful role for this planar nanomaterial in biomedical applications.

Graphene-based active slow surface plasmon polaritons

Finding new ways to control and slow down the group velocity of light in media remains a major challenge in the field of optics. For the design of plasmonic slow light structures, graphene represents an attractive alternative to metals due to its strong field confinement, comparably low ohmic loss and versatile tunability. Here we propose a novel nanostructure consisting of a monolayer graphene on a silicon based graded grating structure. An external gate voltage is applied to graphene and silicon, which are separated by a spacer layer of silica. Theoretical and numerical results demonstrate that the structure exhibits an ultra-high slowdown factor above 450 for the propagation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) excited in graphene, which also enables the spatially resolved trapping of light. Slowdown and trapping occur in the mid-infrared wavelength region within a bandwidth of ~2.1 μm and on a length scale less than 1/6 of the operating wavelength. The slowdown factor can be precisely tuned simply by adjusting the external gate voltage, offering a dynamic pathway for the release of trapped SPPs at room temperature. The presented results will enable the development of highly tunable optoelectronic devices such as plasmonic switches and buffers.

Plasmon-negative refraction at the heterointerface of graphene sheet arrays

We demonstrate negative refraction of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) at the heterointerface of two monolayer graphene sheet arrays (MGSAs) with different periods. The refraction angle is specifically related to the period ratio of the two MGSAs. By varying the incident Bloch momentum, the SPPs might be refracted in the direction normal to the heterointerface. Moreover, both positive and negative refraction could appear simultaneously. Because of the linear diffraction relation, the incident and refracted SPP beams experience diffraction-free propagation. The heterostructures composed of the MGSAs may find great applications in deep-subwavelength spatial light modulators, optical splitters, and switches.

Large spontaneous emission rate enhancement in grating coupled hyperbolic metamaterials

Hyperbolic metamaterial (HMM), a sub-wavelength periodic artificial structure with hyperbolic dispersion, can enhance the spontaneous emission of quantum emitters. Here, we demonstrate the large spontaneous emission rate enhancement of an organic dye placed in a grating coupled hyperbolic metamaterial (GCHMM). A two-dimensional (2D) silver diffraction grating coupled with an Ag/Al₂O₃ HMM shows 18-fold spontaneous emission decay rate enhancement of dye molecules with respect to the same HMM without grating. The experimental results are compared with analytical models and numerical simulations, which confirm that the observed enhancement of GCHMM is due to the outcoupling of non-radiative plasmonic modes as well as strong plasmon-exciton coupling in HMM via diffracting grating.

Focusing and extraction of light mediated by Bloch surface waves

The control of emission from localized light sources is an objective of outstanding relevance in nanophotonics. In a recent past, a large number of metallic nanostructures has been proposed to this end, wherein plasmonic modes are exploited as energy carriers on a subwavelength scale. As an interesting alternative, we present here the use of surface modes on patterned dielectric multilayers to deliver electromagnetic power from free-space to localized volumes and vice versa. Thanks to this low-loss energy transfer, proper periodic ring structures are shown to provide a subwavelength focusing of an external radiation onto the multilayer surface. By reciprocity, the radiated power from emitters within the ring center is shown to be efficiently beamed in the free-space, with a well-controlled angular divergence. This mechanism overcomes some important limitations involved in the all-plasmonic approach, while opening new opportunities for hybrid devices in photon management applications such as optical sensing and lighting.

Nanomaterials enhanced surface plasmon resonance for biological and chemical sensing applications

The main challenge for all electrical, mechanical and optical sensors is to detect low molecular weight (less than 400 Da) chemical and biological analytes under extremely dilute conditions. Surface plasmon resonance sensors are the most commonly used optical sensors due to their unique ability for real-time monitoring the molecular binding events. However, their sensitivities are insufficient to detect trace amounts of small molecular weight molecules such as cancer biomarkers, hormones, antibiotics, insecticides, and explosive materials which are respectively important for early-stage disease diagnosis, food quality control, environmental monitoring, and homeland security protection. With the rapid development of nanotechnology in the past few years, nanomaterials-enhanced surface plasmon resonance sensors have been developed and used as effective tools to sense hard-to-detect molecules within the concentration range between pmol and amol. In this review article, we reviewed and discussed the latest trend and challenges in engineering and applications of nanomaterials-enhanced surface plasmon resonance sensors (e.g., metallic nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles, carbon-based nanomaterials, latex nanoparticles and liposome nanoparticles) for detecting "hard-to-identify" biological and chemical analytes. Such information will be viable in terms of providing a useful platform for designing future ultrasensitive plasmonic nanosensors.

Exciting graphene surface plasmon polaritons through light and sound interplay

We propose a concept that allows for efficient excitation of surface plasmon spolaritons (SPPs) on a thin graphene sheet located on a substrate by an incident electromagnetic field. Elastic vibrations of the sheet, which are generated by a flexural wave, act as a grating that enables the electromagnetic field to couple to propagating graphene SPPs. This scheme permits fast on-off switching of the SPPs and dynamic tuning of their excitation frequency by adjusting the vibration frequency (grating period). Potential applications include single molecule detection and enhanced control of SPP trajectories via surface wave patterning of graphene metasurfaces. Analytical calculations and numerical experiments demonstrate the practical applicability of the proposed concept.