Luminescent Functional Metal–Organic Frameworks

Department of Materials Science, University of Patras, 26504 Rio Patras, Greece, Theoretical and Physical Chemistry Institute, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vass. Constantinou Avenue, 116 35 Athens, Greece, Institut de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire, UPR9021 CNRS, Immunologie et Chimie Therapeutiques, 67084 Strasbourg, France, and Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Universita di Trieste, Piazzale Europa 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy

Chemistry of Carbon Nanotubes

Recent years have seen a rapid expansion of research into nanophotonics based on surface plasmon–polaritons. These electromagnetic waves propagate along metal–dielectric interfaces and can be guided by metallic nanostructures beyond the diffraction limit. This remarkable capability has unique prospects for the design of highly integrated photonic signal-processing systems, nanoresolution optical imaging techniques and sensors. This Review summarizes the basic principles and major achievements of plasmon guiding, and details the current state-of-the-art in subwavelength plasmonic waveguides, passive and active nanoplasmonic components for the generation, manipulation and detection of radiation, and configurations for the nanofocusing of light. Potential future developments and applications of nanophotonic devices and circuits are also discussed, such as in optical signals processing, nanoscale optical devices and near-field microscopy with nanoscale resolution.

Plasmonics beyond the diffraction limit

Lanthanide-based luminescent hybrid materials.

Microcavity physics and design will be reviewed. Following an overview of applications in quantum optics, communications and biosensing, recent advances in ultra-high-Q research will be presented.

Optical microcavities

Acoustic spectrum analysis using polymer integrated optics

For accurate design and modeling of nonlinear optic polymer electro-optic (EO) waveguide devices, potential materials need to be thoroughly characterized. Presented here are the properties of several state of the art materials used for nonlinear optical (NLO) polymer devices, such as Cheng Larry Dalton (CLD) based NLO polymers as well as conductive polymers and epoxies. This characterization includes refractive index, propagation loss, conductivity, nonlinearity, and low and high frequency dielectric constant measurements, as well as materials compatibility.

Materials characterization for nonlinear optic polymer waveguide modulator design

We studied the effect of a cross-conjugated bridging group (χC) on charge-transfer in a push-pull chromophore system. The hyperpolarizability of such molecules was found to be comparable to that of a fully π-conjugated molecule (πC) with the same donor and acceptor. The cross-conjugated moiety was then applied as a pendant to a fully π-conjugated chromophore containing a tricyanopyrroline acceptor (TCP). The addition of a χC moiety did not alter the intrinsic hyperpolarizability and provides an avenue for extending and aiding πC systems. The molecules were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), hyper-Raleigh scattering (HRS) and UV-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy. Experimental results were compared with the predictions of density functional theory (DFT). Cross-conjugated molecules have comparable s values, relative to πC molecules, due to reduced spatial overlap between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO). Thus, the χC architecture could facilitate independent modification of donor and acceptor strengths while minimizing unfavorable effects on electronic transitions and dipole moments.

Larry R. Dalton

Papers

Acoustic spectrum analysis using polymer integrated optics

Materials characterization for nonlinear optic polymer waveguide modulator design

Cross-conjugation as a Motif for Organic Non-Linear Optical Molecules

Oligomers containing carbocyanine/flexible chain segments as non-linear optical materials

Electro-Optic Polymer Modulators