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PatentDOI

Plasmon lasers at deep subwavelength scale

03 Nov 2012-Nature (Nature Publishing Group)-Vol. 461, Iss: 7264, pp 629-632
TL;DR: Hybrid plasmonic waveguides as discussed by the authors employ a high-gain semiconductor nanostructure functioning as a gain medium that is separated from a metal substrate surface by a nanoscale thickness thick low-index gap.
Abstract: Hybrid plasmonic waveguides are described that employ a high-gain semiconductor nanostructure functioning as a gain medium that is separated from a metal substrate surface by a nanoscale thickness thick low-index gap. The waveguides are capable of efficient generation of sub-wavelength high intensity light and have the potential for large modulation bandwidth >1 THz.

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Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Recent advances at the intersection of plasmonics and photovoltaics are surveyed and an outlook on the future of solar cells based on these principles is offered.
Abstract: The emerging field of plasmonics has yielded methods for guiding and localizing light at the nanoscale, well below the scale of the wavelength of light in free space. Now plasmonics researchers are turning their attention to photovoltaics, where design approaches based on plasmonics can be used to improve absorption in photovoltaic devices, permitting a considerable reduction in the physical thickness of solar photovoltaic absorber layers, and yielding new options for solar-cell design. In this review, we survey recent advances at the intersection of plasmonics and photovoltaics and offer an outlook on the future of solar cells based on these principles.

8,028 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The basic concepts behind plasmonics-enabled light concentration and manipulation are discussed, an attempt to capture the wide range of activities and excitement in this area is made, and possible future directions are speculated on.
Abstract: The unprecedented ability of nanometallic (that is, plasmonic) structures to concentrate light into deep-subwavelength volumes has propelled their use in a vast array of nanophotonics technologies and research endeavours. Plasmonic light concentrators can elegantly interface diffraction-limited dielectric optical components with nanophotonic structures. Passive and active plasmonic devices provide new pathways to generate, guide, modulate and detect light with structures that are similar in size to state-of-the-art electronic devices. With the ability to produce highly confined optical fields, the conventional rules for light-matter interactions need to be re-examined, and researchers are venturing into new regimes of optical physics. In this review we will discuss the basic concepts behind plasmonics-enabled light concentration and manipulation, make an attempt to capture the wide range of activities and excitement in this area, and speculate on possible future directions.

3,953 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors summarized 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.
Abstract: 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.

3,481 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
Naomi J. Halas1, Surbhi Lal1, Wei-Shun Chang1, Stephan Link1, Peter Nordlander1 

2,702 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In plasmonics, the metal nanostructures can serve as antennas to convert light into localized electric fields (E-fields) or as waveguides to route light to desired locations with nanometer precision through a strong interaction between incident light and free electrons in the nanostructure.
Abstract: Coinage metals, such as Au, Ag, and Cu, have been important materials throughout history.1 While in ancient cultures they were admired primarily for their ability to reflect light, their applications have become far more sophisticated with our increased understanding and control of the atomic world. Today, these metals are widely used in electronics, catalysis, and as structural materials, but when they are fashioned into structures with nanometer-sized dimensions, they also become enablers for a completely different set of applications that involve light. These new applications go far beyond merely reflecting light, and have renewed our interest in maneuvering the interactions between metals and light in a field known as plasmonics.2–6 In plasmonics, the metal nanostructures can serve as antennas to convert light into localized electric fields (E-fields) or as waveguides to route light to desired locations with nanometer precision. These applications are made possible through a strong interaction between incident light and free electrons in the nanostructures. With a tight control over the nanostructures in terms of size and shape, light can be effectively manipulated and controlled with unprecedented accuracy.3,7 While many new technologies stand to be realized from plasmonics, with notable examples including superlenses,8 invisible cloaks,9 and quantum computing,10,11 conventional technologies like microprocessors and photovoltaic devices could also be made significantly faster and more efficient with the integration of plasmonic nanostructures.12–15 Of the metals, Ag has probably played the most important role in the development of plasmonics, and its unique properties make it well-suited for most of the next-generation plasmonic technologies.16–18 1.1. What is Plasmonics? Plasmonics is related to the localization, guiding, and manipulation of electromagnetic waves beyond the diffraction limit and down to the nanometer length scale.4,6 The key component of plasmonics is a metal, because it supports surface plasmon polariton modes (indicated as surface plasmons or SPs throughout this review), which are electromagnetic waves coupled to the collective oscillations of free electrons in the metal. While there are a rich variety of plasmonic metal nanostructures, they can be differentiated based on the plasmonic modes they support: localized surface plasmons (LSPs) or propagating surface plasmons (PSPs).5,19 In LSPs, the time-varying electric field associated with the light (Eo) exerts a force on the gas of negatively charged electrons in the conduction band of the metal and drives them to oscillate collectively. At a certain excitation frequency (w), this oscillation will be in resonance with the incident light, resulting in a strong oscillation of the surface electrons, commonly known as a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) mode.20 This phenomenon is illustrated in Figure 1A. Structures that support LSPRs experience a uniform Eo when excited by light as their dimensions are much smaller than the wavelength of the light. Figure 1 Schematic illustration of the two types of plasmonic nanostructures discussed in this article as excited by the electric field (Eo) of incident light with wavevector (k). In (A) the nanostructure is smaller than the wavelength of light and the free electrons ... In contrast, PSPs are supported by structures that have at least one dimension that approaches the excitation wavelength, as shown in Figure 1B.4 In this case, the Eo is not uniform across the structure and other effects must be considered. In such a structure, like a nanowire for example, SPs propagate back and forth between the ends of the structure. This can be described as a Fabry-Perot resonator with resonance condition l=nλsp, where l is the length of the nanowire, n is an integer, and λsp is the wavelength of the PSP mode.21,22 Reflection from the ends of the structure must also be considered, which can change the phase and resonant length. Propagation lengths can be in the tens of micrometers (for nanowires) and the PSP waves can be manipulated by controlling the geometrical parameters of the structure.23

2,421 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the optical constants for the noble metals (copper, silver, and gold) from reflection and transmission measurements on vacuum-evaporated thin films at room temperature, in the spectral range 0.5-6.5 eV.
Abstract: The optical constants $n$ and $k$ were obtained for the noble metals (copper, silver, and gold) from reflection and transmission measurements on vacuum-evaporated thin films at room temperature, in the spectral range 0.5-6.5 eV. The film-thickness range was 185-500 \AA{}. Three optical measurements were inverted to obtain the film thickness $d$ as well as $n$ and $k$. The estimated error in $d$ was \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 2 \AA{}, and that in $n$, $k$ was less than 0.02 over most of the spectral range. The results in the film-thickness range 250-500 \AA{} were independent of thickness, and were unchanged after vacuum annealing or aging in air. The free-electron optical effective masses and relaxation times derived from the results in the near infrared agree satisfactorily with previous values. The interband contribution to the imaginary part of the dielectric constant was obtained by subtracting the free-electron contribution. Some recent theoretical calculations are compared with the results for copper and gold. In addition, some other recent experiments are critically compared with our results.

17,509 citations

Book
12 Jul 1985
TL;DR: In this paper, E.D. Palik and R.R. Potter, Basic Parameters for Measuring Optical Properties, and W.W.Hunter, Measurement of Optical Constants in the Vacuum Ultraviolet Spectral Region.
Abstract: VOLUME ONE: Determination of Optical Constants: E.D. Palik, Introductory Remarks. R.F. Potter, Basic Parameters for Measuring Optical Properties. D.Y. Smith, Dispersion Theory, Sum Rules, and Their Application to the Analysis of Optical Data. W.R. Hunter, Measurement of Optical Constants in the Vacuum Ultraviolet Spectral Region. D.E. Aspnes, The Accurate Determination of Optical Properties by Ellipsometry. J. Shamir, Interferometric Methods for the Determination of Thin-Film Parameters. P.A. Temple, Thin-Film Absorplance Measurements Using Laser Colorimetry. G.J. Simonis, Complex Index of Refraction Measurements of Near-Millimeter Wavelengths. B. Jensen, The Quantum Extension of the Drude--Zener Theory in Polar Semiconductors. D.W. Lynch, Interband Absorption--Mechanisms and Interpretation. S.S. Mitra, Optical Properties of Nonmetallic Solids for Photon Energies below the Fundamental Band Gap. Critiques--Metals: D.W. Lynch and W.R. Hunter, Comments of the Optical Constants of Metals and an Introduction to the Data for Several Metals. D.Y. Smith, E. Shiles, and M. Inokuti, The Optical Properties of Metallic Aluminum. Critiques--Semiconductors: E.D. Palik, Cadium Telluride (CdTe). E.D. Palik, Gallium Arsenide (GaAs). A. Borghesi and G. Guizzetti, Gallium Phosphide (GaP). R.F. Potter, Germanium (Ge). E.D. Palik and R.T. Holm, Indium Arsenide (InAs). R.T. Holm, Indium Antimonide (InSb). O.J. Glembocki and H. Piller, Indium Phosphide (InP). G. Bauer and H. Krenn, Lead Selenide (PbSe). G. Guizzetti and A. Borghesi, Lead Sulfide (PbS). G. Bauer and H. Krenn, Lead Telluride (PbTe). D.F. Edwards, Silicon (Si). H. Piller, Silicon (Amorphous) (-Si). W.J. Choyke and E.D. Palik, Silicon Carbide (SiC). E.D. Palik and A. Addamiano, Zinc Sulfide (ZnS). Critiques--Insulators: D.J. Treacy, Arsenic Selenide (As 2 gt Se 3 gt ). D.J. Treacy, Arsenic Sulfide (As 2 gt S 3 gt ). D.F. Edwards and H.R. Philipp, Cubic Carbon (Diamond). E.D. Palik and W.R. Hunter, Litium Fluoride (LiF). E.D. Palik, Lithium Niobote (LiNbO 3 gt ). E.D. Palik, Potassium Chloride (KCl). H.R. Philipp, Silicon Dioxide (SiO 2 gt ), Type ( (Crystalline). H.R. Philipp, Silicon Dioxide (SiO 2 gt ) (Glass). gt H.R. Philipp, Silicon Monoxide (SiO) (Noncrystalline). H.R. Philipp, Silicon Nitride (Si 3 gt N 4 gt ) (Noncrystalline). J.E. Eldridge and E.D. Palik, Sodium Chloride (NaCl). M.W. Ribarsky, Titanium Dioxide (TiO 2 gt ) (Rutile).

17,491 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper introduces the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensor and describes how its exquisite sensitivity to size, shape and environment can be harnessed to detect molecular binding events and changes in molecular conformation.
Abstract: Recent developments have greatly improved the sensitivity of optical sensors based on metal nanoparticle arrays and single nanoparticles. We introduce the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensor and describe how its exquisite sensitivity to size, shape and environment can be harnessed to detect molecular binding events and changes in molecular conformation. We then describe recent progress in three areas representing the most significant challenges: pushing sensitivity towards the single-molecule detection limit, combining LSPR with complementary molecular identification techniques such as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, and practical development of sensors and instrumentation for routine use and high-throughput detection. This review highlights several exceptionally promising research directions and discusses how diverse applications of plasmonic nanoparticles can be integrated in the near future.

6,352 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
16 Jan 2003-Nature
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigate the feasibility of achieving electrically driven lasing from individual nanowires and show that these structures can function as Fabry-Perot optical cavities with mode spacing inversely related to the nanowire length.
Abstract: Electrically driven semiconductor lasers are used in technologies ranging from telecommunications and information storage to medical diagnostics and therapeutics. The success of this class of lasers is due in part to well-developed planar semiconductor growth and processing, which enables reproducible fabrication of integrated, electrically driven devices. Yet this approach to device fabrication is also costly and difficult to integrate directly with other technologies such as silicon microelectronics. To overcome these issues for future applications, there has been considerable interest in using organic molecules, polymers, and inorganic nanostructures for lasers, because these materials can be fashioned into devices by chemical processing. Indeed, amplified stimulated emission and lasing have been reported for optically pumped organic systems and, more recently, inorganic nanocrystals and nanowires. However, electrically driven lasing, which is required in most applications, has met with several difficulties in organic systems, and has not been addressed for assembled nanocrystals or nanowires. Here we investigate the feasibility of achieving electrically driven lasing from individual nanowires. Optical and electrical measurements made on single-crystal cadmium sulphide nanowires show that these structures can function as Fabry-Perot optical cavities with mode spacing inversely related to the nanowire length. Investigations of optical and electrical pumping further indicate a threshold for lasing as characterized by optical modes with instrument-limited linewidths. Electrically driven nanowire lasers, which might be assembled in arrays capable of emitting a wide range of colours, could improve existing applications and suggest new opportunities.

2,396 citations