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Kotte TPS, Adam AJL, Zuidwijk T, Heerkens CTH, Xu M, Urbach HP. Broadband directional scattering through a phase difference acquired in composite nanoparticles. OPTICS EXPRESS 2023; 31:38815-38830. [PMID: 38017976 DOI: 10.1364/oe.498461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
We study the broadband scattering of light by composite nanoparticles through the Born approximation, FEM simulations, and measurements. The particles consist of two materials and show broadband directional scattering. From the analytical approach and the subsequent FEM simulations, it was found that the directional scattering is due to the phase difference between the fields scattered by of each of the two materials of the nanoparticle. To confirm this experimentally, composite nanoparticles were produced using ion-beam etching. Measurements of SiO2 / Au composite nanoparticles confirmed the directional scattering which was predicted by theory and simulations.
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Azzam SI, Kildishev AV, Ma RM, Ning CZ, Oulton R, Shalaev VM, Stockman MI, Xu JL, Zhang X. Ten years of spasers and plasmonic nanolasers. LIGHT, SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS 2020; 9:90. [PMID: 32509297 PMCID: PMC7248101 DOI: 10.1038/s41377-020-0319-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Ten years ago, three teams experimentally demonstrated the first spasers, or plasmonic nanolasers, after the spaser concept was first proposed theoretically in 2003. An overview of the significant progress achieved over the last 10 years is presented here, together with the original context of and motivations for this research. After a general introduction, we first summarize the fundamental properties of spasers and discuss the major motivations that led to the first demonstrations of spasers and nanolasers. This is followed by an overview of crucial technological progress, including lasing threshold reduction, dynamic modulation, room-temperature operation, electrical injection, the control and improvement of spasers, the array operation of spasers, and selected applications of single-particle spasers. Research prospects are presented in relation to several directions of development, including further miniaturization, the relationship with Bose-Einstein condensation, novel spaser-based interconnects, and other features of spasers and plasmonic lasers that have yet to be realized or challenges that are still to be overcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaimaa I. Azzam
- School of Electrical & Computer Engineering and Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
- Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
| | - Alexander V. Kildishev
- School of Electrical & Computer Engineering and Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
- Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
| | - Ren-Min Ma
- State Key Lab for Mesoscopic Physics and School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Frontiers Science Center for Nano-optoelectronics & Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, Beijing, China
| | - Cun-Zheng Ning
- Department of Electronic Engineering and International Center for Nano-Optoelectronics, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
- School of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287 USA
| | - Rupert Oulton
- The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ UK
| | - Vladimir M. Shalaev
- School of Electrical & Computer Engineering and Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
- Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
| | - Mark I. Stockman
- Center for Nano-Optics (CeNO) and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303 USA
| | - Jia-Lu Xu
- Department of Electronic Engineering and International Center for Nano-Optoelectronics, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Xiang Zhang
- Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Faculties of Sciences and Engineering, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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Tsai FC, Weng CH, Chen YL, Shih WP, Chang PZ. Color rendering based on a plasmon fullerene cavity. OPTICS EXPRESS 2018; 26:9984-9999. [PMID: 29715943 DOI: 10.1364/oe.26.009984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Fullerene in the plasmon fullerene cavity is utilized to propagate plasmon energy in order to break the confinement of the plasmonic coupling effect, which relies on the influential near-field optical region. It acts as a plasmonic inductor for coupling gold nano-islands to the gold film; the separation distances of the upper and lower layers are longer than conventional plasmonic cavities. This coupling effect causes the discrete and continuum states to cooperate together in a cavity and produces asymmetric curve lines in the spectra, producing a hybridized resonance. The effect brings about a bright and saturated displaying film with abundant visible colors. In addition, the reflection spectrum is nearly omnidirectional, shifting by only 5% even when the incident angle changes beyond ± 60°. These advantages allow plasmon fullerene cavities to be applied to reflectors, color filters, visible chromatic sensors, and large-area display.
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A low lasing threshold and widely tunable spaser based on two dark surface plasmons. Sci Rep 2017; 7:13590. [PMID: 29051503 PMCID: PMC5648854 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-12463-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
We theoretically demonstrate a low threshold and widely tunable spaser based on a plasmonic nanostructure consisting of two sets of disk-rings (TSDR). The TSDR nanostructure supports two dark surface plasmons (SPs), which are excited simultaneously by two bright SPs at Fano dips. The two dark SPs support lower effective mode volume, higher quality factor and higher Purcell factors. When the dark SPs serve as the pumping and lasing mode of a spaser, the spaser has a lower lasing threshold, a higher pump absorption efficiency and a lower threshold absorbed pump power than the spaser based on a bright SP. In addition, the lasing and pumping wavelengths of the spaser proposed in this article can each be tuned over a very wide wavelength range. Our results should be significant for the development of spasers.
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Arnold N, Hrelescu C, Klar TA. Minimal spaser threshold within electrodynamic framework: Shape, size and modes. ANNALEN DER PHYSIK 2016; 528:295-306. [PMID: 27158151 PMCID: PMC4834728 DOI: 10.1002/andp.201500318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Revised: 11/12/2015] [Accepted: 11/12/2015] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
It is known (yet often ignored) from quantum mechanical or energetic considerations, that the threshold gain of the quasi-static spaser depends only on the dielectric functions of the metal and the gain material. Here, we derive this result from the purely classical electromagnetic scattering framework. This is of great importance, because electrodynamic modelling is far simpler than quantum mechanical one. The influence of the material dispersion and spaser geometry are clearly separated; the latter influences the threshold gain only indirectly, defining the resonant wavelength. We show that the threshold gain has a minimum as a function of wavelength. A variation of nanoparticle shape, composition, or spasing mode may shift the plasmonic resonance to this optimal wavelength, but it cannot overcome the material-imposed minimal gain. Furthermore, retardation is included straightforwardly into our framework; and the global spectral gain minimum persists beyond the quasi-static limit. We illustrate this with two examples of widely used geometries: Silver spheroids and spherical shells embedded in and filled with gain materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikita Arnold
- Institute of Applied Physics Johannes Kepler University Linz Altenbergerstraße 694040 Linz Austria; Soft Matter Physics Johannes Kepler University Linz Altenbergerstraße 694040 Linz Austria
| | - Calin Hrelescu
- Institute of Applied Physics Johannes Kepler University Linz Altenbergerstraße 69 4040 Linz Austria
| | - Thomas A Klar
- Institute of Applied Physics Johannes Kepler University Linz Altenbergerstraße 69 4040 Linz Austria
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Huang Y, Xiao JJ, Gao L. Antiboding and bonding lasing modes with low gain threshold in nonlocal metallic nanoshell. OPTICS EXPRESS 2015; 23:8818-8828. [PMID: 25968719 DOI: 10.1364/oe.23.008818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Based on a full-wave nonlocal Mie theory, we establish the spaser generation condition for compact plasmonic nanolasers in the long-wavelength limit for dielectric-metal core-shell nanoparticles. We found that there exist two lasing states arising from the hybridized antibonding and bonding modes for this coated nanolaser. By varying the surrounding medium and the gain materials, we can achieve low gain threshold for each mode with flexible radii ratios on the purpose of realistic easy fabrication. Numerical results show that nonlocal effects have different influences on the required gain threshold and gain refractive index of these two lasing modes, which may be of great importance in the design of such kind of ultrasmall nanoparticle lasers.
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Xian J, Chen L, Niu H, Qu J, Song J. Significant field enhancements in an individual silver nanoparticle near a substrate covered with a thin gain film. NANOSCALE 2014; 6:13994-14001. [PMID: 25317661 DOI: 10.1039/c4nr03678f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we propose a method to significantly enhance the local-field of a gap plasmonic system by placing a metallic nanoparticle in close proximity to a substrate covered with a thin film using a gain material (∼100 nm thickness). Compared with a conventional dielectric substrate, the thin gain film can contribute to several, or dozens, of times more intense local electric fields in the gap between the particle and the substrate. We use the finite difference time domain method to numerically analyze the influences of the gain coefficient of the film and of the other parameters on the field enhancement. The numerical results show that there is an optimal refractive index of the gain film that enables us to achieve a maximal field enhancement for a given NP radius. Moreover, the optimal refractive index of the gain film can be incorporated into any available materials using metal nanoparticles with an appropriate radius.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhong Xian
- Institute of Optoelectronics, Key Lab of Optoelectronics Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education/Guangdong Province, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, China
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Zharov AA, Zharov AA, Zharova NA. Spontaneous reorientations of meta-atoms and electromagnetic spatial solitons in a liquid metacrystal. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2014; 90:023207. [PMID: 25215843 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.90.023207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
We show that transverse electromagnetic waves propagating along an external static electric field in liquid metacrystal (LMC) can provoke spontaneous rearrangement of elongated meta-atoms that changes the direction of the anisotropy axis of the LMC. This kind of instability may reorient the meta-atoms from the equilibrium state parallel to a static field to the state along a high-frequency field and back at the different threshold intensities of electromagnetic waves in such a way that bistability in the system takes place. Reorientation of meta-atoms causes a change in the effective refraction index of LMC that creates, in turn, the conditions for the formation of bright spatial solitons. Such spatial solitons are the self-consistent domains of redirected meta-atoms with trapped photons. We find that the instability thresholds as well as energy flux captured by the spatial soliton can be easily managed by variation of the static electric field applied to the LMC. We study the effects of soliton excitation and collisions via numerical simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander A Zharov
- Institute for Physics of Microstructures, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhny Novgorod, 603950 Russia and N.I. Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod, 603950 Russia
| | - Alexander A Zharov
- Institute for Physics of Microstructures, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhny Novgorod, 603950 Russia and N.I. Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod, 603950 Russia
| | - Nina A Zharova
- Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhny Novgorod, 603950 Russia
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Kumarasinghe C, Premaratne M, Agrawal GP. Dielectric function of spherical dome shells with quantum size effects. OPTICS EXPRESS 2014; 22:11966-11984. [PMID: 24921317 DOI: 10.1364/oe.22.011966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Metallic spherical dome shells have received much attention in recent years because they have proven to possess highly impressive optical properties. The expected distinctive changes occurring owing to quantum confinement of conduction electrons in these nanoparticles as their thickness is reduced, have not been properly investigated. Here we carry out a detailed analytical derivation of the quantum contributions by introducing linearly shifted Associated Legendre Polynomials, which form an approximate orthonormal eigenbasis for the single-electron Hamiltonian of a spherical dome shell. Our analytical results clearly show the contribution of different elements of a spherical dome shell to the effective dielectric function. More specifically, our results provide an accurate, quantitative correction for the dielectric function of metallic spherical dome shells with thickness below 10 nm.
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Arnold N, Ding B, Hrelescu C, Klar TA. Dye-doped spheres with plasmonic semi-shells: Lasing modes and scattering at realistic gain levels. BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2013; 4:974-87. [PMID: 24455456 PMCID: PMC3896298 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.4.110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2013] [Accepted: 12/09/2013] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
We numerically simulate the compensation of absorption, the near-field enhancement as well as the differential far-field scattering cross section for dye-doped polystyrene spheres (radius 195 nm), which are half-covered by a silver layer of 10-40 nm thickness. Such silver capped spheres are interesting candidates for nanoplasmonic lasers, so-called spasers. We find that spasing requires gain levels less than 3.7 times higher than those in commercially available dye-doped spheres. However, commercially available concentrations are already apt to achieve negative absorption, and to narrow and enhance scattering by higher order modes. Narrowing of the plasmonic modes by gain also makes visible higher order modes, which are normally obscured by the broad spectral features of the lower order modes. We further show that the angular distribution of the far-field scattering of the spasing modes is by no means dipole-like and is very sensitive to the geometry of the structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikita Arnold
- Institute of Applied Physics, Johannes Kepler University, 4040 Linz, Austria
| | - Boyang Ding
- Institute of Applied Physics, Johannes Kepler University, 4040 Linz, Austria
| | - Calin Hrelescu
- Institute of Applied Physics, Johannes Kepler University, 4040 Linz, Austria
| | - Thomas A Klar
- Institute of Applied Physics, Johannes Kepler University, 4040 Linz, Austria
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Abstract
Chiral nanoscale photonic systems typically follow either tetrahedral or helical geometries that require four or more different constituent nanoparticles. Smaller number of particles and different chiral geometries taking advantage of the self-organization capabilities of nanomaterials will advance understanding of chiral plasmonic effects, facilitate development of their theory, and stimulate practical applications of chiroplasmonics. Here we show that gold nanorods self-assemble into side-by-side orientated pairs and "ladders" in which chiral properties originate from the small dihedral angle between them. Spontaneous twisting of one nanorod versus the other one breaks the centrosymmetric nature of the parallel assemblies. Two possible enantiomeric conformations with positive and negative dihedral angles were obtained with different assembly triggers. The chiral nature of the angled nanorod pairs was confirmed by 4π full space simulations and the first example of single-particle CD spectroscopy. Self-assembled nanorod pairs and "ladders" enable the development of chiral metamaterials, (bio)sensors, and new catalytic processes.
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Meng X, Kildishev AV, Fujita K, Tanaka K, Shalaev VM. Wavelength-tunable spasing in the visible. NANO LETTERS 2013; 13:4106-12. [PMID: 23915034 DOI: 10.1021/nl4015827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
A SPASER, short for surface plasmon amplification by stimulated emission of radiation, is key to accessing coherent optical fields at the nanoscale. Nevertheless, the realization of a SPASER in the visible range still remains a great challenge because of strong dissipative losses. Here, we demonstrate that room-temperature SPASER emission can be achieved by amplifying longitudinal surface plasmon modes supported in gold nanorods as plasmon nanocavities and utilizing laser dyes to supply optical gain for compensation of plasmon losses. By choosing a particular organic dye and adjusting the doping level, the resonant wavelength of the SPASER emission can be tuned from 562 to 627 nm with a spectral line width narrowed down to 5-11 nm. This work provides a versatile route toward SPASERs at extended wavelength regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangeng Meng
- Department of Material Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University , Katsura, Nishikyo-ku 615-8510, Kyoto, Japan
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