NIRT: Photon and Plasmon Engineering in Active Optical Devices based on Synthesized Nanostructures

智力优势：目前的项目重点是了解主动光学纳米结构中光产生和控制的基本特性，以及开发用于光学/量子信息处理的强大实用设备和系统（例如单光子源，纳米激光器）。有希望的途径包括纳米级表面等离子体和光子晶体。在这个项目中开发的知识和技术可以在其他领域找到应用，包括生命科学和先进的光刻技术。为了实现这些目标，自下而上合成的纳米级光发射器和自上而下制造的用于光定位和控制的先进结构将相结合。自下而上合成的纳米发射器比传统的外延生长的光发射器具有许多优点，包括更好的均匀性，易于制造，与无源光学平台集成，以及多波长操作。与这些混合纳米结构有关的重要问题，如不同制造技术的集成，操作方法的发展，光的定位和有效的内/外耦合，将被研究。更广泛的影响：拟议的研究将为学生提供强大的教育机会，使他们接触跨学科合作（化学，物理和工程），包括理论计算，纳米结构合成，器件物理和设计，纳米制造和光学表征。这将通过共同指导研究生、举行联合小组会议和研讨会以及组织讲习班来实现。通过美国国家科学基金会支持的本科生研究经验项目，为本科生提供在这个令人兴奋的跨学科领域进行研究的机会，并鼓励女性和少数民族学生的参与，教育部分将进一步加强。团队成员将继续在当地公立学校进行公开讲座和组织科学项目，指导高中生，并通过国家科学基金会支持的教师研究经验项目与高中教师一起工作。团队成员还将把他们的专业知识带到哈佛正在进行的外展项目中，并与商业为导向的公众接触（例如哈佛纳米技术与商业论坛，哈佛工业外展项目）。

Intellectual Merits: The present project focuses on understanding of fundamental properties of light generation and control in active optical nanostructures, as well as development of robust and practical devices and systems for optical/ quantum information processing (e.g. single photon sources, nano-lasers). Promising routes include nano-scale surface plasmons and photonic crystals. The knowledge and techniques that will be developed in this program can find application in other fields, including life sciences and advanced photolithography. To achieve these goals, bottom-up synthesized nanoscale light emitters and top-down fabricated advanced structures for light localization and control will be combined. Bottom-up synthesized nanoemitters offer number of advantages over conventional epitaxially grown light emitters, including better uniformity, ease of fabrication, integration with passive optical platforms, and multi-wavelength operation. Important questions that pertain to these hybrid nanostructures such as, integration of different fabrication techniques, development of methodology for manipulation, positioning and efficiently in/out-coupling of light, will be investigated. Broader Impacts: The proposed research will provide powerful educational opportunities for students by exposing them to an interdisciplinary collaboration (chemistry, physics and engineering) that encompasses theoretical calculations, nanostructure synthesis, device physics and design, nanofabrication and optical characterization. This will be accomplished by co-advising graduate students, holding joint group meetings and seminars, as well as organizing workshops. The educational component will be further enhanced by giving undergraduate students an opportunity to conduct research in this exciting interdisciplinary field through the NSF supported Research Experience for Undergraduates program and also by encouraging the participation of women and minority students. The team members will continue giving public lectures and organizing science projects at local public schools, mentoring high school students and working with high school teachers through the NSF supported Research Experience for Teachers program. The team members will also bring their expertise to ongoing Harvard outreach programs and engage the business-oriented public (e.g. Harvard Nanotechnology & Business Forum, Harvard Industrial Outreach Program).