We present the design for an absorbing metamaterial (MM) with near unity absorbance A(omega). Our structure consists of two MM resonators that couple separately to electric and magnetic fields so as to absorb all incident radiation within a single unit cell layer. We fabricate, characterize, and analyze a MM absorber with a slightly lower predicted A(omega) of 96%. Unlike conventional absorbers, our MM consists solely of metallic elements. The substrate can therefore be optimized for other parameters of interest. We experimentally demonstrate a peak A(omega) greater than 88% at 11.5 GHz.

Perfect metamaterial absorber.

Electronic circuits provide us with the ability to control the transport and storage of electrons. However, the performance of electronic circuits is now becoming rather limited when digital information needs to be sent from one point to another. Photonics offers an effective solution to this problem by implementing optical communication systems based on optical fibers and photonic circuits. Unfortunately, the micrometer-scale bulky components of photonics have limited the integration of these components into electronic chips, which are now measured in nanometers. Surface plasmon-based circuits, which merge electronics and photonics at the nanoscale, may offer a solution to this size-compatibility problem. Here we review the current status and future prospects of plasmonics in various applications including plasmonic chips, light generation, and nanolithography.

/pdf/plasmonics-merging-photonics-and-electronics-at-nanoscale-3vxc7s7v4s.pdf

Plasmonics: merging photonics and electronics at nanoscale dimensions.

Collective electronic excitations at metal surfaces are well known to play a key role in a wide spectrum of science, ranging from physics and materials science to biology. Here we focus on a theoretical description of the many-body dynamical electronic response of solids, which underlines the existence of various collective electronic excitations at metal surfaces, such as the conventional surface plasmon, multipole plasmons and the recently predicted acoustic surface plasmon. We also review existing calculations, experimental measurements and applications.

/pdf/theory-of-surface-plasmons-and-surface-plasmon-polaritons-42vs95dnoa.pdf

Theory of surface plasmons and surface-plasmon polaritons

Quantum plasmonics is a rapidly growing field of research that involves the study of the quantum properties of light and its interaction with matter at the nanoscale Here, surface plasmons - electromagnetic excitations coupled to electron charge density waves on metal-dielectric interfaces or localized on metallic nanostructures - enable the confinement of light to scales far below that of conventional optics In this article we review recent progress in the experimental and theoretical investigation of the quantum properties of surface plasmons, their role in controlling light-matter interactions at the quantum level and potential applications Quantum plasmonics opens up a new frontier in the study of the fundamental physics of surface plasmons and the realization of quantum-controlled devices, including single-photon sources, transistors and ultra-compact circuitry at the nanoscale

Quantum Plasmonics

This review provides a perspective on the recent developments in the transmission of light through subwavelength apertures in metal films. The main focus is on the phenomenon of extraordinary optical transmission in periodic hole arrays, discovered over a decade ago. It is shown that surface electromagnetic modes play a key role in the emergence of the resonant transmission. These modes are also shown to be at the root of both the enhanced transmission and beaming of light found in single apertures surrounded by periodic corrugations. This review describes both the theoretical and experimental aspects of the subject. For clarity, the physical mechanisms operating in the different structures considered are analyzed within a common theoretical framework. Several applications based on the transmission properties of subwavelength apertures are also addressed.

http://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/47904/1/Light%20passing.pdf

Light passing through subwavelength apertures

We demonstrate independent control over the tuning of the fundamental optical and mechanical modes of coupled photonic crystal nanobeam cavities using optical gradient force induced mechanical reconfiguration and optical stiffening.

All-optical control of opto-mechanical properties of photonic crystal nano-beam filter

In this work a systematic identification of factors contributing to signal ringing in unilateral nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) sensors is conducted. Resonant peaks that originate due to multiple factors such as NMR, electrical, magneto-acoustic, core material response, eddy currents and other factors were observed. The peaks caused by the measurement system or electrical resonances and induced magnet vibrations are further analyzed. They appear in every measurement and are considered as interference to signals received from the magnetic core. Forming a distinction between different peaks is essential in identifying the primary contribution to the captured resonant signal. The measurements for the magnetic core indicate that the magnetization induced resonant peaks of the core have relatively higher amplitudes and shorter decay times at low frequencies.

https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1137&context=ece_pubs

Detection and estimation of magnetization induced resonances in unilateral nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) sensors

We report cascaded four-wave mixing in a silicon micro-ring resonator operating at 45 μm wavelength Our results present an important milestone for extending optical frequency combs further into the mid-infrared range

Cascaded four-wave mixing in silicon-on-sapphire microresonators at λ=4.5 μm

We demonstrate integrated on-chip ring resonators on a single crystal diamond on insulator substrate with wide band operation around 1550nm with quality factors as large as 15000 for TE and TM modes.

Diamond photonic devices for non-linear optics

Summary form only given. Photonic crystals are artificial periodic structures in which the refractive index modulation gives rise to stop bands for electromagnetic waves (EM) within a certain frequency range in all directions. Recently it was recognized that the photonic gaps can exist in two-dimensional (2D) octagonal quasicrystals. A quasiperiodic system is characterized by a lack of long range periodic translational order. But the quasiperiodic system has long-range band orientational order, so that it can be considered as an intermediate between periodic and random systems. In this work, we report on observation of the photonic band gap effect in a 2D Penrose quasicrystal consisting of dielectric rods. Defect characteristics of various inequivalent sites of the crystal were investigated. The Penrose tiles are composed of fat and skinny rhombic unit cells and fill the 2D plane nonperiodically.

/pdf/photonic-band-gap-effect-and-localization-in-two-dimensional-3rz7touyhv.pdf

Irfan Bulu

Papers

All-optical control of opto-mechanical properties of photonic crystal nano-beam filter

Detection and estimation of magnetization induced resonances in unilateral nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) sensors

Cascaded four-wave mixing in silicon-on-sapphire microresonators at λ=4.5 μm

Diamond photonic devices for non-linear optics

Photonic band gap effect and localization in two-dimensional Penrose lattice