NER: Nanophotonic Superpolariton Junctions: tunable photon-polariton transistors

智力优势：本研究的智力优势在于通过在锥形玻璃膜纳米孔中插入光导光纤来形成纳米级光晶体管，从而开发出有源纳米光子超极化结（NSJ）。主动调整光纤和纳米孔之间的“软”介电材料的插入距离和介电常数，有望将NSJ尖端的场强和探测灵敏度提高35倍。主动调整改善了从入射光到尖端振荡表面电子（称为“极化子”）的能量转移，而独特的NSJ几何形状减少了“极化子”损失。为了支持这项研究，开发了一种有源替代现有的无源光-极化晶体管，这种晶体管很难制备，并且场强增加了10倍。更广泛的影响：这项研究将教育三名研究生，包括两名未被充分代表的女性，在一个高度合作的环境中，在70名教员中，他们制造和分析纳米级设备，如微阵列和芯片实验室。本研究的社会影响包括让本科生在实践教学模块中展示非nsj，这些模块为全州的社区大学和高中学生准备了课堂演示、暑期研讨会和实验室体验。这些演示是由PI共同发起的为期5年的NSF （STEP）赞助合作的一部分，该合作计划增加STEM课程中代表性不足的少数民族的参与度，提高保留率，并最终使其入学率翻倍。这项研究的经济影响来自NSJ应用，包括光子电路、高密度磁光数据存储、高灵敏度光谱纳米/生物/化学传感器和高分辨率近场光学显微镜。

Intellectual Merit: The intellectual merit of this study consists of developing active Nanophotonic Superpolariton Junctions (NSJ) by inserting light-guiding optical fibers into tapered glass-membrane nanopores to form nano-scale transistors of light. Actively adjusting the insertion distance and the permittivity of a 'soft' dieletric material between the fiber and nanopore is expected to enhance field intensity and detection sensitivity at the NSJ tip 35-fold. Active adjustments improve transfer of energy from incoming light to oscillating, surface electrons (called 'polaritons') at the tip while the unique NSJ geometry reduces 'polariton' losses. Supporting this study develops an active alternative to existing passive light-to-polariton transistors that are difficult to prepare and produce 10-fold increases in field intensity.Broader Impacts: This study will educate three graduate students, including two underrepresented females, in active nanostructures, photonics and sensing within a highly collaborative environment of 70 faculty who fabricate and analyze nano-scale devices like microarrays and lab-on-chips. The social impact of this study includes having undergraduates demonstrate NSJs in hands-on instructional modules prepared for class demonstrations, summer workshops and lab experiences for community college and high school students across the state. These demonstrations are part of a 5-year NSF (STEP)-sponsored collaboration co-initiated by the PI that plans to increase participation, improve retention, and ultimately double enrollment of underrepresented minorities in STEM courses. The economic impact of this study arises from NSJ applications that include photonic circuits, high-density magneto-optic data storage, highly-sensitive spectroscopic nano/bio/chemical sensors and high-resolution near-field optical microscopy.