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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 397 records · Page 22
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Low-Loss Charge Transfer Plasmons in Graphene/α-RuCl 3 Heterostructures Below 40 K

Charge transfer at material interfaces governs a wide range of physical properties, from electronic band structures to emergent collective excitations. In two-dimensional (2D) material heterostructures, charge transfer phenomena play important roles in enabling novel quantum phases, proximity effects, and tunable plasmonic responses. One representative charge transfer interface is formed between α-RuCl 3 , a van der Waals material with high electron affinity, and graphene. Significant charge transfer across this interface induces the formation of charge-transfer plasmon polaritons (CPPs), hybrid excitations between light and charge oscillations. However, previous studies found that as the charge transfer process takes place, α-RuCl 3 becomes lossy, which limits the quality factor of CPPs. Here, we investigate CPPs down to 10 K using a home-built scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscope (s-SNOM) optimized for low-temperature measurements. Our study reveals a dramatic suppression of plasmon loss channels below 40 K, contributing to a significant enhancement in the plasmonic quality factor. This reduction in loss is likely attributed to the blue shift of the correlation-induced Mott gap in α-RuCl 3 with decreasing temperature, along with the reduction of phonon scattering at low temperature. In conclusion, our results highlight the potential of using s-SNOM and CPPs to study complex 2D interfaces and reveal correlated electron dynamics in the underlying material.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Symmetry Breaking in Tetrahedral Chiral Plasmonic Nanoparticle Assemblies

Self-assembled plasmonic structures combine the specificity and tunability of chemical synthesis with collective plasmonic properties. In this work we systematically explore the effects of symmetry breaking on the chiroptical response of an assembly of plasmonic nanoparticles using simulation. The design is based on a tetrahedral nanoparticle frame with two different types of nanoparticles, where chirality is induced by targeted stimuli that change the distance along one edge of the assembly. Here, we show that the intensity, spectral position, and handedness of the CD response are tunable with small structural changes, making it usable as a nanoscale plasmonic ruler. We then build upon this initial design to show that the symmetry breaking principle may also be used to design a chiral pyramid using a mixture of different nanoparticle materials, which affords tunability over a broad spectral range, and retrieves nanoscale conformational changes over a range of length scales.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Nonlinear terahertz devices utilizing semiconducting plasmonic metamaterials

The development of responsive metamaterials has enabled the realization of compact tunable photonic devices capable of manipulating the amplitude, polarization, wave vector and frequency of light. Integration of semiconductors into the active regions of metallic resonators is a proven approach for creating nonlinear metamaterials through optoelectronic control of the semiconductor carrier density. Metal-free subwavelength resonant semiconductor structures offer an alternative approach to create dynamic metamaterials. We present InAs plasmonic disk arrays as a viable resonant metamaterial at terahertz frequencies. Importantly, InAs plasmonic disks exhibit a strong nonlinear response arising from electric field-induced intervalley scattering, resulting in a reduced carrier mobility thereby damping the plasmonic response. here, we demonstrate nonlinear perfect absorbers configured as either optical limiters or saturable absorbers, including flexible nonlinear absorbers achieved by transferring the disks to polyimide films. Nonlinear plasmonic metamaterials show potential for use in ultrafast terahertz (THz) optics and for passive protection of sensitive electromagnetic devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Surface plasmon polaritons in a topological insulator embedded in an optical cavity

Very recently, the surface plasmons in a topological insulator (TI) have been experimentally observed by exciting these collective modes with polarized light [P. Di Pietro, M. Ortolani, O. Limaj, A. Di Gaspare, V. Giliberti, F. Giorgianni, M. Brahlek, N. Bansal, N. Koirala, S. Oh, P. Calvani, and S. Lupi, Nat. Nanotechnol. 8, 556 (2013)]. Motivated by this experimental work, here we present a theoretical study on the surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) induced by plasmon-photon interactions in a TI thin film embedded in an optical cavity. It is found that the frequencies of SPP modes are within the terahertz (THz) bandwidth and can be tuned effectively by adjusting the surface electron density and/or the optical cavity length. Since the surface electron density can be well controlled by the gate-voltage applied perpendicular to the TI surface, our theoretical results indicate that gated TI thin films may have potential applications in the electrically tunable THz plasmonic devices.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2014

Plasmons in spatially separated double-layer graphene nanoribbons

Motivated by innovative progresses in designing multi-layer graphene nanostructured materials in the laboratory, we theoretically investigate the Dirac plasmon modes of a spatially separated double-layer graphene nanoribbon system, made up of a vertically offset armchair and metallic graphene nanoribbon pair. We find striking features of the collective excitations in this novel Coulomb correlated system, where both nanoribbons are supposed to be either intrinsic (undoped/ungated) or extrinsic (doped/gated). In the former, it is shown the low-energy acoustical and the high-energy optical plasmon modes are tunable only by the inter-ribbon charge separation. In the later, the aforementioned plasmon branches are modified by the added doping factor. As a result, our model could be useful to examine the existence of a linear Landau-undamped low-energy acoustical plasmon mode tuned via the inter-ribbon charge separation as well as doping. This study might also be utilized for devising novel quantum optical waveguides based on the Coulomb coupled graphene nanoribbons.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Amplification and generation of terahertz plasmons in gated two-dimensional channels: Modal analysis

A theoretical analysis is presented of plasmons in gated two-dimensional electron channels supporting dc currents. In contrast to previous treatments, the model takes into account complete mode spectra and transverse field distributions. Conditions for plasmon amplification are determined, and asymmetric plasmonic oscillators are analysed. The results are compared with the traditional treatment of the Dyakonov-Shur instability. The limitations of the traditional treatment are thus revealed. The present electrodynamically rigorous model can be used to design and analyse terahertz plasmonic oscillators.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Density functional and theoretical study of the temperature and pressure dependency of the plasmon energy of solids

The temperature and pressure dependency of the volume plasmon energy of solids was investigated by density functional theory calculations. The volume change of crystal is the major factor responsible for the variation of valence electron density and plasmon energy in the free electron model. Hence, to introduce the effect of temperature and pressure for the density functional theory calculations of plasmon energy, the temperature and pressure dependency of lattice parameter was used. Also, by combination of the free electron model and the equation of state based on the pseudo-spinodal approach, the temperature and pressure dependency of the plasmon energy was modeled. The suggested model is in good agreement with the results of density functional theory calculations and available experimental data for elements with the free electron behavior.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Probing hot-electron effects in wide area plasmonic surfaces using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Plasmon enhanced hot carrier formation in metallic nanostructures increasingly attracts attention due to potential applications in photodetection, photocatalysis, and solar energy conversion. Here, hot-electron effects in nanoscale metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structures are investigated using a non-contact X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy based technique using continuous wave X-ray and laser excitations. The effects are observed through shifts of the binding energy of the top metal layer upon excitation with lasers of 445, 532, and 650 nm wavelength. The shifts are polarization dependent for plasmonic MIM grating structures fabricated by electron beam lithography. Wide area plasmonic MIM surfaces fabricated using a lithography free route by the dewetting of evaporated Ag on HfO{sub 2} exhibit polarization independent optical absorption and surface photovoltage. Using a simple model and making several assumptions about the magnitude of the photoemission current, the responsivity and external quantum efficiency of wide area plasmonic MIM surfaces are estimated as 500 nA/W and 11 × 10{sup −6} for 445 nm illumination.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Improvement of plasmonic enhancement of quantum dot emission via an intermediate silicon-aluminum oxide interface

We studied the emission of quantum dots in the presence of plasmon-metal oxide substrates, which consist of arrays of metallic nanorods embedded in amorphous silicon coated with a nanometer-thin layer of aluminum oxide on the top. We showed that the combined effects of plasmons and the silicon-aluminum oxide interface can lead to significant enhancement of the quantum efficiency of quantum dots. Our results show that such an interface can significantly enhance plasmonic effects of the nanorods via quantum dot-induced exciton-plasmon coupling, leading to partial polarization of the quantum dots' emission.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Temperature dependence of exciton-surface plasmon polariton coupling in Ag, Au, and Al films on In{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}N/GaN quantum wells studied with time-resolved cathodoluminescence

The optical properties and coupling of excitons to surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in Ag, Au, and Al-coated In{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}N/GaN multiple and single quantum wells (SQWs) were probed with time-resolved cathodoluminescence. Excitons were generated in the metal coated SQWs by injecting a pulsed high-energy electron beam through the thin metal films. The Purcell enhancement factor (F{sub p}) was obtained by direct measurement of changes in the temperature-dependent radiative lifetime caused by the SQW exciton-SPP coupling. Three chosen plasmonic metals of Al, Ag, and Au facilitate an interesting comparison of the exciton-SPP coupling for energy ranges in which the SP energy is greater than, approximately equal to, and less than the excitonic transition energy for the InGaN/GaN QW emitter. A modeling of the temperature dependence of the Purcell enhancement factor, F{sub p}, included the effects of ohmic losses of the metals and changes in the dielectric properties due to the temperature dependence of (i) the intraband behavior in the Drude model and (ii) the interband critical point transition energies which involve the d-bands of Au and Ag. We show that an inclusion of both intraband and interband effects is essential when calculating the ω vs k SPP dispersion relation, plasmon density of states (DOS), and the dependence of F{sub p} on frequency and temperature. Moreover, the “back bending” in the SPP dispersion relation when including ohmic losses can cause a finite DOS above ω{sub sp} and lead to a measurable F{sub p} in a limited energy range above ω{sub sp}, which can potentially be exploited in plasmonic devices utilizing Ag and Au.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Experimental demonstration of line-width modulation in plasmonic lithography using a solid immersion lens-based active nano-gap control

Plasmonic lithography has been used in nanofabrication because of its utility beyond the diffraction limit. The resolution of plasmonic lithography depends on the nano-gap between the nanoaperture and the photoresist surface—changing the gap distance can modulate the line-width of the pattern. In this letter, we demonstrate solid-immersion lens based active non-contact plasmonic lithography, applying a range of gap conditions to modulate the line-width of the pattern. Using a solid-immersion lens-based near-field control system, the nano-gap between the exit surface of the nanoaperture and the media can be actively modulated and maintained to within a few nanometers. The line-widths of the recorded patterns using 15- and 5-nm gaps were 47 and 19.5 nm, respectively, which matched closely the calculated full-width at half-maximum. From these results, we conclude that changing the nano-gap within a solid-immersion lens-based plasmonic head results in varying line-width patterns.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Narrow-line self-assembled GaAs quantum dots for plasmonics

We demonstrate efficient coupling of excitons in near-surface GaAs quantum dots (QDs) to surface-plasmon polaritons. We observe distinct changes in the photoluminescence of the emitters as the distance between the QDs and the gold interface decreases. Based on an electric point-dipole model, we identify the surface plasmon launching rates for different QD-surface distances. While in conventional far-field experiments only a few percent of the emitted photons can be collected due to the high refractive index semiconductor substrate, already for distances around 30 nm the plasmon launching-rate becomes comparable to the emission rate into bulk photon modes, thus much larger than the photon collection rate. For even smaller distances, the degrading optical properties of the emitter counterweight the increasing coupling efficiency to plasmonic modes.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Tailoring local density of optical states to control emission intensity and anisotropy of quantum dots in hybrid photonic-plasmonic templates

We report results of controlled tuning of the local density of states (LDOS) in versatile, flexible, and hierarchical self assembled plasmonic templates. Using 5 nm diameter gold (Au) spherical nanoantenna within a polymer template randomly dispersed with quantum dots, we show how the photoluminescence intensity and lifetime anisotropy of these dots can be significantly enhanced through LDOS tuning. Finite difference time domain simulations corroborate the experimental observations and extend the regime of enhancement to a wider range of geometric and spectral parameters bringing out the versatility of these functional plasmonic templates. It is also demonstrated how the templates act as plasmonic resonators for effectively engineer giant enhancement of the scattering efficiency of these nano antenna embedded in the templates. Our work provides an alternative method to achieve spontaneous emission intensity and anisotropy enhancement with true nanoscale plasmon resonators.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Optomechanical coupling in phoxonic–plasmonic slab cavities with periodic metal strips

We theoretically investigate the optomechanical (OM) coupling of submicron cavities formed in one-dimensional phoxonic–plasmonic slabs. The phoxonic–plasmonic slabs are structured by depositing periodic Ag strips onto the top surfaces of dielectric GaAs slabs to produce dual band gaps for both electromagnetic and acoustic waves, thereby inducing the coupling of surface plasmons with photons for tailoring the OM coupling. We quantify the OM coupling by calculating the temporal modulation of the optical resonance wavelength with the acoustic phonon-induced photoelastic (PE) and moving-boundary (MB) effects. We also consider the appearance of a uniform Ag layer on the bottom surface of the slabs to modulate the photonic–plasmonic coupling. The results show that the PE and MB effects can be constructive or destructive in the overall OM coupling, and their magnitudes depend not only on the quality factors of the resonant modes but also on the mode area, mode overlap, and individual symmetries of the photonic–phononic mode pairs. Lowering the mode area could be effective for enhancing the OM coupling of subwavelength photons and phonons. This study introduces possible engineering applications to achieve enhanced interaction between photons and phonons in nanoscale OM devices.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Study of surface plasmon resonance of core-shell nanogeometry under the influence of perovskite dielectric environment: Electrostatic approximation

We have systematically study the nano-plasmonic coupling to the perovskite (CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}PbI{sub 3}) dielectric media in terms of surface plasmon resonance. The surface plasmon resonances are exhibited by the metal nanoparticles which is the electromagnetic excitation conduction electron when it is irradiated by incident light photon. Tunable behaviour of SPRs can be utilized to enhance the absorption of photon inside the surrounding environment in the wavelength range 300 to 800 nm. We have been selected two different types of nanogeometry such as coated and non-coated metal nanoparticles (radii ranges from 10 to 15 nm) to understand the plasmonic interaction to the dielectric media. Finally, we have observed that the coated nanogeometry is more preferable as compared to non-coated system to analyse the tunability of SPR peaks.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2016

Broad electrical tuning of plasmonic nanoantennas at visible frequencies

We report an experimental demonstration of electrical tuning of plasmon resonances of optical nanopatch antennas over a wide wavelength range. The antennas consist of silver nanocubes separated from a gold film by a thin 8 nm polyelectrolyte spacer layer. By using ionic liquid and indium tin oxide coated glass as a top electrode, we demonstrate dynamic and reversible tuning of the plasmon resonance over 100 nm in the visible wavelength range using low applied voltages between −3.0 V and 2.8 V. The electrical potential is applied across the nanoscale gap causing changes in the gap thickness and dielectric environment which, in turn, modifies the plasmon resonance. The observed tuning range is greater than the full-width-at-half-maximum of the plasmon resonance, resulting in a tuning figure of merit of 1.05 and a tuning contrast greater than 50%. Our results provide an avenue to create active and reconfigurable integrated nanophotonic components for applications in optoelectronics and sensing.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Resonance coupling in plasmonic nanomatryoshka homo- and heterodimers

Here, we examine the electromagnetic (EM) energy coupling and hybridization of plasmon resonances between closely spaced concentric nanoshells known as “nanomatryoshka” (NM) units in symmetric and antisymmetric compositions using the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) analysis. Utilizing plasmon hybridization model, we calculated the energy level diagrams and verified that, in the symmetric dimer (in-phase mode in a homodimer), plasmonic bonding modes are dominant and tunable within the considered bandwidth. In contrast, in the antisymmetric dimer (out-of-phase mode in a heterodimer), due to the lack of the geometrical symmetry, new antibonding modes appear in the extinction profile, and this condition gives rise to repeal of dipolar field coupling. We also studied the extinction spectra and positions of the antibonding and bonding modes excited due to the energy coupling between silver and gold NM units in a heterodimer structure. Our analysis suggest abnormal shifts in the higher energy modes. We propose a method to analyze the behavior of multilayer concentric nanoshell particles in an antisymmetric orientation employing full dielectric function calculations and the Drude model based on interband transitions in metallic components. This study provides a method to predict the behavior of the higher energy plasmon resonant modes in entirely antisymmetric structures such as compositional heterodimers.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Plasmonic spectral tunability of conductive ternary nitrides

Conductive binary transition metal nitrides, such as TiN and ZrN, have emerged as a category of promising alternative plasmonic materials. In this work, we show that ternary transition metal nitrides such as Ti{sub x}Ta{sub 1−x}N, Ti{sub x}Zr{sub 1−x}N, Ti{sub x}Al{sub 1−x}N, and Zr{sub x}Ta{sub 1−x}N share the important plasmonic features with their binary counterparts, while having the additional asset of the exceptional spectral tunability in the entire visible (400–700 nm) and UVA (315–400 nm) spectral ranges depending on their net valence electrons. In particular, we demonstrate that such ternary nitrides can exhibit maximum field enhancement factors comparable with gold in the aforementioned broadband range. We also critically evaluate the structural features that affect the quality factor of the plasmon resonance and we provide rules of thumb for the selection and growth of materials for nitride plasmonics.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗