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Results for “Subwavelength structures”

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 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2018

Quantum-enhanced plasmonic sensing

Quantum resources can enhance the sensitivity of a device beyond the classical shot noise limit and, as a result, revolutionize the field of metrology through the development of quantum-enhanced sensors. In particular, plasmonic sensors, which are widely used in biological and chemical sensing applications, offer a unique opportunity to bring such an enhancement to real-life devices. Here, we use bright entangled twin beams to enhance the sensitivity of a plasmonic sensor used to measure local changes in the refractive index. We demonstrate a 56% quantum enhancement in the sensitivity of a state-of-the-art plasmonic sensor when compared with the corresponding classical configuration and a 24% quantum enhancement when compared to an optimal single-beam classical configuration. We measure sensitivities on the order of 10 –10 RIU / √Hz, nearly 5 orders of magnitude better than previous proof-of-principle implementations of quantum-enhanced plasmonic sensors. Furthermore, these results promise significant enhancements in ultratrace label-free plasmonic sensing and will find their way into areas ranging from biomedical applications to chemical detection.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2016

A study of angle dependent surface plasmon polaritons in nano-hole array structures

We report that the light-matter interaction in metallic nano-hole array structures possess a subwavelength hole radius and periodicity. The transmission coefficient for nano-hole array structures was measured for different angles of incidence of light. Each measured transmission spectrum had several peaks due to surface plasmon polaritons. A theory of the transmission coefficient was developed based on the quantum density matrix method. It was found that the location of the surface plasmon polariton and the heights of the spectral peaks were dependent on the angle of incidence of light. Good agreement was observed between the experimental and theoretical results. This property of these structures has opened up new possibilities for sensing applications.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2011

Angle-resolved cathodoluminescence spectroscopy

We present a cathodoluminescence spectroscopy technique which combines deep subwavelength excitation resolution with angle-resolved detection capabilities. The cathodoluminescence emission is collected by a paraboloid mirror (effective NA = 0.96) and is projected onto a 2D CCD array. The azimuthal and polar emission pattern is directly deduced from the image. As proof of principle, we use the technique to measure the angular distribution of transition radiation from a single crystalline gold surface under 30 keV electron irradiation. We find that the experiment matches very well with theory, illustrating the potential of this technique for the characterization of photonic structures with deep subwavelength dimensions.

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 OSTI2018

Design principles for photonic crystals based on plasmonic nanoparticle superlattices

Significance In this article, we derive a set of design principles for making photonic crystals with desired photonic stopband properties by taking advantage of spacer group, a design parameter enabled by recent advances in bottom-up assembly processes. The concept of spacer groups is experimentally realized through DNA-programmable assembly of Au nanoparticles, showing that highly reflective structures can be generated with cubic lattices and flexible spacer groups that can enable lighter and more compact 3D photonic crystals with precisely designed and even reconfigurable photonic properties. It also allows one to explore the combined effects of both photonic bandgap and the plasmonic properties of NPs, which may prove useful in fields spanning plasmonic cavity structures, optical nanocircuits, subwavelength imaging, and low-loss metamaterials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Metamaterial-Inspired Vacuum Electron Devices and Accelerators

Metamaterials (MTMs) are structured materials with subwavelength features that can be engineered to have some unique properties not found in nature, such as negative refractive index, reversed Doppler effect, and reversed Cherenkov radiation. Based on these novel MTMs, several important research groups have made great attempts to develop novel MTM-inspired vacuum electron devices (VEDs) and accelerators. Just as solid-state power devices are innovated by incessant emerging of new semiconductor materials, VEDs can also be inspired by MTMs to have very remarkable advantages, such as smaller size, higher power, higher efficiency, and/or larger gain relative to conventional VEDs, such as traveling-wave tubes, backward-wave oscillators, and klystrons. Similarly, relative to conventional accelerators, MTM-inspired accelerators have obvious advantages, such as smaller size and higher accelerating gradient. In addition, MTM-inspired devices have promising applications in areas such as radar, communication, electronicwarfare,microwave heating, and imaging.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Metamaterial-Inspired Vacuum Electron Devices and Accelerators

Metamaterials (MTMs) are structured materials with subwavelength features that can be engineered to have some unique properties not found in nature, such as negative refractive index, reversed Doppler effect, and reversed Cherenkov radiation. Based on these novel MTMs, several important research groups have made great attempts to develop novel MTM-inspired vacuum electron devices (VEDs) and accelerators. Just as solid-state power devices are innovated by incessant emerging of new semiconductor materials, VEDs can also be inspired by MTMs to have very remarkable advantages, such as smaller size, higher power, higher efficiency, and/or larger gain relative to conventional VEDs, such as traveling-wave tubes, backward-wave oscillators, and klystrons. Similarly, relative to conventional accelerators, MTM-inspired accelerators have obvious advantages, such as smaller size and higher accelerating gradient. Furthermore, MTM-inspired devices have promising applications in areas such as radar, communication, electronic warfare, microwave heating, and imaging.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Terahertz antireflection coating enabled by a subwavelength metallic mesh capped with a thin dielectric film

Metamaterials/metasurfaces have enabled unprecedented manipulation of electromagnetic waves. Here we present a new design of metasurface structure functioning as antireflection coatings. The structure consists of a subwavelength metallic mesh capped with a thin dielectric layer on top of a substrate. By tailoring the geometric parameters of the metallic mesh and the refractive index and thickness of the capping dielectric film, reflection from the substrate can be completely eliminated at a specific frequency. Compared to traditional methods such as coatings with single- or multi-layer dielectric films, the metasurface antireflection coatings are much thinner and the requirement of index matching is largely lifted. Here, this approach is particularly suitable for antireflection coatings in the technically challenging terahertz frequency range and is also applicable in other frequency regimes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Enhanced laser-induced damage performance of all-glass metasurfaces for energetic pulsed laser applications

To fabricate optical components with surface layers compatible with high power laser applications that may operate as antireflective coatings, polarization rotators, or harness physical anisotropy for other uses, metasurfaces are becoming an appealing candidate. In this study, a large-beam (1.05 cm diameter) 351-nm laser-induced damage testing was done on an all-glass metasurface structure composed of cone-like features with a subwavelength spacing of adjacent features. These structures were fabricated on untreated fused silica glass and damage tested, as were structures that were fabricated on fused silica glass that experienced a preliminary etching process to remove the surface Beilby layer that is characteristic of polished fused silica. The laser-induced damage onset for structures on untreated fused silica glass was 19.3 J∙cm -2 , while the sample that saw an initial pretreatment etch exhibited an improved damage onset of 20.4 J∙cm -2 , only 6% short of the reference pretreated glass damage onset of 21.7 J∙cm -2 . For perspective, the National Ignition Facility (NIF) operational average fluence at this wavelength and pulse length is about 10 J/cm2. At a fluence of 25.5 J∙cm -2 , the reference (pretreated) fused silica initiated 5.2 damage sites per mm 2 , while the antireflective metasurface sample with a preliminary etching process treatment initiated 9.8 damage sites per mm 2 . In conclusion, these findings demonstrate that substrate-engraved metasurfaces are compatible with high energy and power laser applications, further broadening their application space.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Optically resonant subwavelength films for tamper-indicating tags and seals

We present the design, modeling and performance of a proof-of-concept tamper indicating approach that exploits newly-developed subwavelength-patterned films. These films have a nanostructure-dependent resonant optical reflection that is wavelength, angle, and polarization dependent. As such, they can be tailored to fabricate overlay transparent films for tamper indication and authentication of sensitive or controlled materials not possible with currently-known technologies. An additional advantage is that the unique optical signature is dictated by the geometry and fabrication process of the nanostructures in the film, rather than on the material used. The essential structure unit in the subwavelength resonant coating is a nanoscale Open-Ring Resonator (ORR). This building block is fabricated by coating a dielectric nanoscale template with metal to form a hemispherical shell-like structure. This curved metallic shell structure has a cross-section with an intrinsic capacitance and inductance and is thus the optical equivalent to the well-known “LC” circuit where the capacitance and inductance are determined by the nanoshell dimensions. For structures with sub 100 nm scale, this resonance occurs in the visible electromagnetic spectrum, and in the IR for larger shells. Tampering of the film would be visible though misalignment of the angular dependence of the features in the film. It is additionally possible to add in intrinsic oxidation and strain sensitive matrix materials to further complicate tamper repair and counterfeiting. Cursory standoff readout would be relatively simple using a combination of a near-infrared (or visible) LED flashlight and polarizer or passively using room lighting illumination and a dispersive detector.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Nano-compositional imaging of the lanthanum silicide system at THz wavelengths

Terahertz scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy (THz-sSNOM) provides a noninvasive way to probe the low frequency conductivity of materials and to characterize material compositions at the nanoscale. However, the potential capability of atomic compositional analysis with THz nanoscopy remains largely unexplored. Here, we perform THz near-field imaging and spectroscopy on a model rare-earth alloy of lanthanum silicide (La–Si) which is known to exhibit diverse compositional and structural phases. We identify subwavelength spatial variations in conductivity that is manifested as alloy microstructures down to much less than 1 μ m in size and is remarkably distinct from the surface topography of the material. Signal contrasts from the near-field scattering responses enable mapping the local silicon/lanthanum content differences. These observations demonstrate that THz-sSNOM offers a new avenue to investigate the compositional heterogeneity of material phases and their related nanoscale electrical as well as optical properties.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2021

Structural color from a coupled nanowire pair beyond the bonding and antibonding model

Optical resonances in nanostructures can be harnessed to produce a wide range of structural colors. Conversely, the analysis of structural colors has been used to clarify the nature of optical resonances. Here, we show that silicon nanowire (NW) pairs can display a wide range of structural colors by controlling their radiative coupling. This is accomplished by exciting a series of Fabry–Pérot-like modes where light is repeatedly scattered between two NWs. These modes are beyond the expectation from the conventional chemical bonding model under a quasi-electrostatic approximation, in which only bonding and antibonding modes can be formed in a pair system through modal hybridization. The additional eigenmodes found in a two-resonator system originate from the nonlinear, frequency-dependent coupling strength derived from the radiative nature of low- Q resonators. The Fabry–Pérot modes can be tuned across the entire visible frequency range by varying the distance between two NWs, leading to what we believe is a new type of universal building blocks that can provide structural color within a subwavelength footprint. The presented results pave the way toward the design and usage of highly tunable resonances that exploit the radiative coupling of high-index nanostructures.

Li, Qitong↗
DOE OSTI2017

Antenna Loading Impact on the Coupling Response of a Slotted Cylindrical Cavity

This report details the effect of antenna loading on the interior near - field response of a resonating cylindrical cavity characterized by a leaky aperture. We find a large field variation within the cavity when a long antenna is introduced within the interior and the antenna load is varied from 0 to 50 Ohms. We also find the effect of absorption losses to be negligible. In order to accurately characterize the coupling into the cavity, a non - perturbing sensor (such as a monopole) is recommended. With this approach, the interior field distribution and peak levels characterizing the cavity will be fairly well preserved. In addition to studying the impact of antenna loading on the interior near - field response, the resonant frequencies for the cylindrical structure perturbed by a subwavelength aperture are found to be well estimated by analytical computations.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2017

Electrooptical effect in the plasmon structure glass–In{sub 2}O{sub 3}: Sn–ferroelectric–Al with a subwavelength grating

The spectral features of the electrooptical effect, in which an applied voltage changes the refractive index of a ferroelectric copolymer, are studied. Three nanostructures are investigated: two nanostructures play an auxiliary role, and the basic structure consists of a glass substrate, a transparent ITO (In{sub 2}O{sub 3}: Sn) layer, active copolymer layer, and an Al layer with a nanograting. This grating with a period of 400 nm meets the conditions of excitation of plasmon resonances. The light transmission coefficients of all structures are analyzed in the spectral range 400–900 nm. The transmission spectra have two characteristic plasmon dips, one of which is related to the copolymer–ITO interface and the other, to the copolymer–Al interface. The aluminum and ITO layers play the role of electrodes, which supply voltage pulses (from 0 to 15 V) to the copolymer layer. When studying the electrooptical effect, we detected spectral shifts in plasmon resonance bands when the amplitudes of both positive and negative voltage pulses (quadratic effect) increase. These shifts change the effective refractive indices (n{sub eff}) of the structural elements, reaching the minimum negative increment Δ{sub eff} =–0.06.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Light extraction enhancement of 265 nm deep-ultraviolet light-emitting diodes with over 90 mW output power via an AlN hybrid nanostructure

Deep-ultraviolet (DUV) aluminum gallium nitride-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on transparent aluminum nitride (AlN) substrates with high light extraction efficiency and high power are proposed and demonstrated. The AlN bottom side surface configuration, which is composed of a hybrid structure of photonic crystals and subwavelength nanostructures, has been designed using finite-difference time-domain calculations to enhance light extraction. We have experimentally demonstrated an output power improvement of up to 196% as a result of the use of the embedded high-light-extraction hybrid nanophotonic structure. The DUV-LEDs produced have demonstrated output power as high as 90 mW in DC operation at a peak emission wavelength of 265 nm.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2021

Negative Index Metamaterial Lens for Subwavelength Microwave Detection

Metamaterials are engineered periodic structures designed to have unique properties not encountered in naturally occurring materials. One such unusual property of metamaterials is the ability to exhibit negative refractive index over a prescribed range of frequencies. A lens made of negative refractive index metamaterials can achieve resolution beyond the diffraction limit. This paper presents the design of a metamaterial lens and its use in far-field microwave imaging for subwavelength defect detection in nondestructive evaluation (NDE). Theoretical formulation and numerical studies of the metamaterial lens design are presented followed by experimental demonstration and characterization of metamaterial behavior. Finally, a microwave homodyne receiver-based system is used in conjunction with the metamaterial lens to develop a far-field microwave NDE sensor system. A subwavelength focal spot of size 0.82λ was obtained. The system is shown to be sensitive to a defect of size 0.17λ × 0.06λ in a Teflon sample. Consecutive positions of the defect with a separation of 0.23λ was resolvable using the proposed system.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2015

Controlling the directionality of spontaneous emission by evanescent wave coupling

We report an approach toward controlling the directionality of spontaneous emissions by employing the evanescent wave coupling effect in a subwavelength-sized ridge or truncated cone structure. An InGaAs/GaAs light-emitting diode in which a stripe-shaped InGaAs/GaAs quantum well with a stripe width of about 100 nm is embedded at the center of a subwavelength-sized GaAs ridge (of width ∼520 nm) is fabricated by micro processing and epitaxial regrowth techniques. Strong directionalities characterized by a half-intensity angle of 43° are observed in planes perpendicular to the ridge axis. The directionality is found to be almost independent of operating conditions.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗