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学频率超材料，利用镧系离子中的磁偶极子跃迁用于光子器件。智力优势：最近的超材料研究扩大了可用于光子器件的材料和现象的范围。虽然大多数超材料在损耗金属结构中利用人工磁共振，但本课程探索镧系离子中的自然磁偶极子跃迁。增强这些量子磁共振有望开发连续的、低损耗的、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，包含镧系离子的超材料提供了在纳米级光学电路和激光器的新设计中实现放大所必需的固有增益。更广泛的影响：从荧光灯和彩色显示器到激光和光纤放大器，镧系离子是一系列技术板中的光源。该计划利用镧系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)开设“光的艺术与科学”跨学科新课程；(2)延续暑期工作坊系列，促进实验室实践训练；(3)扩大探照灯计划，提高人们对照明对能源和环境的影响的认识；(4)与美国国家科学基金会支持的普罗维登斯公立学校系统的GK-12“环境中的物理过程”项目合作开发新的教育模块。

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.