Optical antennas are devices that convert freely propagating optical radiation into localized energy, and vice versa. They enable the control and manipulation of optical fields at the nanometre scale, and hold promise for enhancing the performance and efficiency of photodetection, light emission and sensing. Although many of the properties and parameters of optical antennas are similar to their radiowave and microwave counterparts, they have important differences resulting from their small size and the resonant properties of metal nanostructures. This Review summarizes the physical properties of optical antennas, provides a summary of some of the most important recent developments in the field, discusses the potential applications and identifies the future challenges and opportunities.

Antennas for light

Modern nanotechnology allows one to scale down various important devices (sensors, chips, fibers, etc.) and thus opens up new horizons for their applications. The efficiency of most of them is based on fundamental physical phenomena, such as transport of wave excitations and resonances. Short propagation distances make phase-coherent processes of waves important. Often the scattering of waves involves propagation along different paths and, as a consequence, results in interference phenomena, where constructive interference corresponds to resonant enhancement and destructive interference to resonant suppression of the transmission. Recently, a variety of experimental and theoretical work has revealed such patterns in different physical settings. The purpose of this review is to relate resonant scattering to Fano resonances, known from atomic physics. One of the main features of the Fano resonance is its asymmetric line profile. The asymmetry originates from a close coexistence of resonant transmission and resonant reflection and can be reduced to the interaction of a discrete (localized) state with a continuum of propagation modes. The basic concepts of Fano resonances are introduced, their geometrical and/or dynamical origin are explained, and theoretical and experimental studies of light propagation in photonic devices, charge transport through quantum dots, plasmon scattering in Josephson-junction networks, and matter-wave scattering in ultracold atom systems, among others are reviewed.

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Fano resonances in nanoscale structures

日本物理学会誌及びJournal of the Physical Society of Japanの月刊について

: The unpolarized absorption and circular dichroism spectra of the fundamental vibrational transitions of the chiral molecule, 4-methyl-2-oxetanone, are calculated ab initio. Harmonic force fields are obtained using Density Functional Theory (DFT), MP2, and SCF methodologies and a 5S4P2D/3S2P (TZ2P) basis set. DFT calculations use the Local Spin Density Approximation (LSDA), BLYP, and Becke3LYP (B3LYP) density functionals. Mid-IR spectra predicted using LSDA, BLYP, and B3LYP force fields are of significantly different quality, the B3LYP force field yielding spectra in clearly superior, and overall excellent, agreement with experiment. The MP2 force field yields spectra in slightly worse agreement with experiment than the B3LYP force field. The SCF force field yields spectra in poor agreement with experiment.The basis set dependence of B3LYP force fields is also explored: the 6-31G* and TZ2P basis sets give very similar results while the 3-21G basis set yields spectra in substantially worse agreements with experiment. jg

Ab initio calculation of vibrational absorption and circular dichroism spectra using density functional force fields

A possible sighting of Majorana states Nearly 80 years ago, the Italian physicist Ettore Majorana proposed the existence of an unusual type of particle that is its own antiparticle, the so-called Majorana fermion. The search for a free Majorana fermion has so far been unsuccessful, but bound Majorana-like collective excitations may exist in certain exotic superconductors. Nadj-Perge et al. created such a topological superconductor by depositing iron atoms onto the surface of superconducting lead, forming atomic chains (see the Perspective by Lee). They then used a scanning tunneling microscope to observe enhanced conductance at the ends of these chains at zero energy, where theory predicts Majorana states should appear. Science, this issue p. 602; see also p. 547 Scanning tunneling microscopy is used to observe signatures of Majorana states at the ends of iron atom chains. [Also see Perspective by Lee] Majorana fermions are predicted to localize at the edge of a topological superconductor, a state of matter that can form when a ferromagnetic system is placed in proximity to a conventional superconductor with strong spin-orbit interaction. With the goal of realizing a one-dimensional topological superconductor, we have fabricated ferromagnetic iron (Fe) atomic chains on the surface of superconducting lead (Pb). Using high-resolution spectroscopic imaging techniques, we show that the onset of superconductivity, which gaps the electronic density of states in the bulk of the Fe chains, is accompanied by the appearance of zero-energy end-states. This spatially resolved signature provides strong evidence, corroborated by other observations, for the formation of a topological phase and edge-bound Majorana fermions in our atomic chains.

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Observation of Majorana fermions in ferromagnetic atomic chains on a superconductor

The tip of a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope is brought into contact with individual cobalt atoms adsorbed on Cu(100). A smooth transition from the tunneling regime to contact occurs at a conductance of $G\ensuremath{\approx}{G}_{0}$. Spectroscopy in the contact regime, i.e., at currents in a $\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{A}$ range, was achieved and indicated a significant change of the Kondo temperature ${T}_{K}$. Calculations indicate that the proximity of the tip shifts the cobalt $d$ band and thus affects ${T}_{K}$.

Conductance and Kondo effect in a controlled single-atom contact.

The tip of a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope is approached towards a C60 molecule adsorbed at a pentagon-hexagon bond on Cu(100) to form a tip-molecule contact. The conductance rapidly increases to approximately 0.25 conductance quanta in the transition region from tunneling to contact. Ab-initio calculations within density functional theory and nonequilibrium Green's function techniques explain the experimental data in terms of the conductance of an essentially undeformed C60. The conductance in the transition region is affected by structural fluctuations which modulate the tip-molecule distance.

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Controlled contact to a C-60 molecule

The tip of a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope is brought into contact with individual Kondo impurities (cobalt atoms) adsorbed on a Cu(100) surface. A smooth transition from the tunneling regime to a point contact with a conductance of $G\approx\text{G}_0$ occurs. Spectroscopy in the contact regime, {\it i. e.}, at currents in a $\mu\text{A}$ range was achieved. A modified line shape is observed indicating a significant change of the Kondo temperature $T_{\text{K}}$ at contact. Model calculations indicate that the proximity of the tip shifts the cobalt $d$-band and thus affects $T_{\text{K}}$.

Conductance and Kondo effect of a controlled single atom contact

The transition from tunneling to contact is investigated by detecting light emitted from Au(111) in a scanning tunneling microscope. Optical spectra reflect single and multielectron processes and their distinct evolutions as a single-atom contact is formed. The experimental data are analyzed in terms of plasmon excitation and hot-hole processes.

Electron-plasmon and electron-electron interactions at a single atom contact.

Clusters containing a single magnetic impurity were investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy, spectroscopy, and ab initio electronic structure calculations The Kondo temperature of a Co atom embedded in Cu clusters on Cu(111) exhibits a nonmonotonic variation with the cluster size Calculations model the experimental observations and demonstrate the importance of the local and anisotropic electronic structure for correlation effects in small clusters

Nicolas Néel

Papers

Conductance and Kondo effect in a controlled single-atom contact.

Controlled contact to a C-60 molecule

Conductance and Kondo effect of a controlled single atom contact

Electron-plasmon and electron-electron interactions at a single atom contact.

Controlling the Kondo effect in CoCu(n) clusters atom by atom.