NIRT: Plasmonic Nanophotonics and Optoelectronics

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This proposal was received in response to Nanoscale Science and Engineering initiative, NSF 01-157, category NIRT. This project is aimed at developing new classes of metal-dielectric nanostructured materials and their applications in photonics, spectroscopy and optoelectronics. Metal nanostructures are capable of supporting various plasmon modes, which can result in high local fields and thus in dramatic enhancement of optical responses. Such plasmonic nanostructures act like nanoantennas accumulating and building up the electromagnetic energy in small nanometer scale areas. The dramatic enhancement of optical cross-sections resulting from such energy concentration opens new avenues for numerous applications of metal nanostructures. A number of new phenomena and their applications in photonics and optoelectronics will be studied in this project. Those include negative refraction in left-handed materials based on metal nanowires, photonic band-gap materials using metal nanostructures, plasmon-enhanced nonlinear photodetectors, disorder-induced localization of plasmons and fractal sensors for detecting molecules, light-gated optical transmitters, photonic nano-circuits and nano-chips. This interdisciplinary research brings together experts in the physics of plasmonic nanomaterials (Prof. Shalaev), femtosecond pulse-shaping spectroscopy and ultafast photonics (Prof. Weiner), and fabrication of plasmonic (Prof. Wei) and optoelectronic (Prof. Melloch) nanomaterials. A successful program in plasmonic nanomaterials, supported by synergistic activities with the Birck Nanotechnology Center and Center for Sensing Science and Technology at Purdue, will accelerate the development of a multidisciplinary Nano-photonics Program. The proposed research will integrate and infuse cutting-edge research in the emerging areas of photonics and nanotechnology with top-flight education and training.