CAREER: Optical Frequency, Quantum Magnetic Resonances for Photonic Devices

目的：本研究的目的是开发一类新的光频超材料，利用磁偶极子跃迁镧系离子的光子器件applications.Intellectual优点：最近的超材料的研究已经扩大了范围的材料和现象可用于光子器件。虽然大多数超材料利用人工磁共振在有损耗的金属结构，这个程序探讨了自然磁偶极子转换镧系元素离子。增强这些量子磁共振有望开发出连续、低损耗、各向同性的超材料。这种超材料将直接应用于纳米级光刻和成像领域。此外，含有镧系元素离子的超材料提供了在新提出的纳米级光学电路和激光器设计中实现放大所需的固有增益。更广泛的影响：镧系元素离子是从荧光照明和彩色显示器到激光器和光纤放大器的广泛技术中的光发射器。该计划利用镧系元素材料的社会和技术相关性：（i）推进光学器件和固态照明应用领域的前沿研究，（ii）改善来自不同年龄，背景和学科的学生的教育。具体计划包括：（1）开发新的跨学科课程《&光的艺术学》;（2）继续举办暑期工作坊系列，以促进实验室实践培训;（3）扩大探照灯项目，以提高人们对照明的能源和环境影响的认识;（4）与国家科学基金会支持的GK-12“环境中的物理过程”项目合作，为普罗维登斯公立学校系统开发新的教育模块。

Objective: The objective of this research is to develop a new class of optical frequency metamaterials that leverage magnetic dipole transitions in Lanthanide ions for photonic device applications.Intellectual Merit: Recent metamaterials research has expanded the range of materials and phenomena available for photonic devices. Whereas most metamaterials exploit artificial magnetic resonances in lossy metallic structures, this program explores the natural magnetic dipole transitions in Lanthanide ions. Enhancing these quantum magnetic resonances promises to enable the development of continuous, low-loss, isotropic metamaterials. Such metamaterials would have direct application in the areas of nanoscale lithography and imaging. Moreover, metamaterials incorporating Lanthanide ions offer the intrinsic gain necessary to realize amplification in newly proposed designs for nanoscale optical circuits and lasers.Broader impacts: Lanthanide ions are light emitters in a board range of technologies from fluorescent lighting and color displays to lasers and fiber-optic amplifiers. This program leverages the societal and technological relevance of Lanthanide materials to: (i) advance cutting-edge research in the applied areas of optical devices and solid-state lighting, and (ii) improve the education of students from a diverse range of ages, backgrounds and disciplines. Specific plans include: (1) development of new interdisciplinary course on the "Art & Science of Light"; (2) continuation of summer workshop series to promote hands-on laboratory training; (3) expansion of SearchLight Project to raise awareness for energy and environmental implications of lighting; (4) development of new educational modules in collaboration with NSF-supported GK-12 "Physical Processes in the Environment" program for the Providence Public School system.