Jürgen Kästel

Bio: Jürgen Kästel is an academic researcher from Kaiserslautern University of Technology. The author has contributed to research in topics: Negative refraction & Electromagnetically induced transparency. The author has an hindex of 10, co-authored 14 publications receiving 2011 citations.

Plasmonic analogue of electromagnetically induced transparency at the Drude damping limit.

Abstract: In atomic physics, the coherent coupling of a broad and a narrow resonance leads to quantum interference and provides the general recipe for electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). A sharp resonance of nearly perfect transmission can arise within a broad absorption profile. These features show remarkable potential for slow light, novel sensors and low-loss metamaterials. In nanophotonics, plasmonic structures enable large field strengths within small mode volumes. Therefore, combining EIT with nanoplasmonics would pave the way towards ultracompact sensors with extremely high sensitivity. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a nanoplasmonic analogue of EIT using a stacked optical metamaterial. A dipole antenna with a large radiatively broadened linewidth is coupled to an underlying quadrupole antenna, of which the narrow linewidth is solely limited by the fundamental non-radiative Drude damping. In accordance with EIT theory, we achieve a very narrow transparency window with high modulation depth owing to nearly complete suppression of radiative losses. Plasmonic nanostructures enable the concentration of large electric fields into small spaces. The classical analogue of electromagnetically induced transparency has now been achieved in such devices, leading to a narrow resonance in their absorption spectrum. This combination of high electric-field concentration and sharp resonance offers a pathway to ultracompact sensors with extremely high sensitivity.

Electromagnetic-field quantization and spontaneous decay in left-handed media

Abstract: We present a quantization scheme for the electromagnetic field interacting with atomic systems in the presence of dispersing and absorbing magnetodielectric media, including left-handed material having negative real part of the refractive index. The theory is applied to the spontaneous decay of a two-level atom at the center of a spherical free-space cavity surrounded by magnetodielectric matter of overlapping band-gap zones. Results for both big and small cavities are presented, and the problem of local-field corrections within the real-cavity model is addressed.

Tunable negative refraction without absorption via electromagnetically induced chirality.

Abstract: We show that negative refraction with minimal absorption can be obtained by means of quantum interference effects similar to electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). Coupling a magnetic dipole transition coherently with an electric dipole transition leads to electromagnetically induced chirality, which can provide negative refraction without requiring negative permeability and also suppress absorption. This technique allows negative refraction in the optical regime at densities where the magnetic susceptibility is still small and with refraction/absorption ratios that are orders of magnitude larger than those achievable previously. Furthermore, the refractive index can be fine-tuned, which is essential for practical realization of subdiffraction-limit imaging. As with EIT, electromagnetically induced chirality should be applicable to a wide range of systems.

Suppression of spontaneous emission and superradiance over macroscopic distances in media with negative refraction

Abstract: The possibility of negative optical path length in left-handed media (LHM) is shown to lead to complete suppression of spontaneous emission of an atom in front of a mirror with a layer of LHM. For the same reason two atoms put at the foci of a perfect lens formed by a parallel LHM slab [J. B. Pendry, Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 3966 (2000)] exhibit perfect subradiance and superradiance. It is shown that these effects occur over distances that can be orders of magnitude larger than the transition wavelength and are only limited by the propagation length within the free-space decay time of the atoms. Single- and two-atom decay rates are calculated from the Greens function of the electric field in the presence of a LHM and limitations as well as potential applications are discussed.

Dipole-dipole shift of quantum emitters coupled to surface plasmons of a nanowire

Abstract: Placing quantum emitters close to a metallic nanowire, an effective interaction can be achieved over distances large compared to the resonance wavelength due to the strong coupling between emitters and the surface plasmon modes of the wire. This leads to modified collective decay rates, as well as to Lamb and dipole-dipole shifts. In this paper, we present a general method for calculating these level shifts, which we subsequently apply to the case of a pair of atoms coupled to the guided modes of a nanowire.

The Fano resonance in plasmonic nanostructures and metamaterials

Abstract: Since its discovery, the asymmetric Fano resonance has been a characteristic feature of interacting quantum systems. The shape of this resonance is distinctively different from that of conventional symmetric resonance curves. Recently, the Fano resonance has been found in plasmonic nanoparticles, photonic crystals, and electromagnetic metamaterials. The steep dispersion of the Fano resonance profile promises applications in sensors, lasing, switching, and nonlinear and slow-light devices.

Infrared Perfect Absorber and Its Application As Plasmonic Sensor

Abstract: We experimentally demonstrate a perfect plasmonic absorber at λ = 1.6 μm. Its polarization-independent absorbance is 99% at normal incidence and remains very high over a wide angular range of incidence around ±80°. We introduce a novel concept to utilize this perfect absorber as plasmonic sensor for refractive index sensing. This sensing strategy offers great potential to maintain the performance of localized surface plasmon sensors even in nonlaboratory environments due to its simple and robust measurement scheme.

Gold nanorods and their plasmonic properties

Abstract: Gold nanorods have been receiving extensive attention owing to their extremely attractive applications in biomedical technologies, plasmon-enhanced spectroscopies, and optical and optoelectronic devices. The growth methods and plasmonic properties of Au nanorods have therefore been intensively studied. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of the flourishing field of Au nanorods in the past five years. We will focus mainly on the approaches for the growth, shape and size tuning, functionalization, and assembly of Au nanorods, as well as the methods for the preparation of their hybrid structures. The plasmonic properties and the associated applications of Au nanorods will also be discussed in detail.

Self-Assembled Plasmonic Nanoparticle Clusters

Abstract: The self-assembly of colloids is an alternative to top-down processing that enables the fabrication of nanostructures. We show that self-assembled clusters of metal-dielectric spheres are the basis for nanophotonic structures. By tailoring the number and position of spheres in close-packed clusters, plasmon modes exhibiting strong magnetic and Fano-like resonances emerge. The use of identical spheres simplifies cluster assembly and facilitates the fabrication of highly symmetric structures. Dielectric spacers are used to tailor the interparticle spacing in these clusters to be approximately 2 nanometers. These types of chemically synthesized nanoparticle clusters can be generalized to other two- and three-dimensional structures and can serve as building blocks for new metamaterials.