ADVANCED OPTICAL ANTENNAS: SWITCHABLE, SPASING AND GAIN-ASSISTED

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ObjectiveDue to diffraction, conventional lenses focus light to spots no smaller than roughly half the wavelength. Optical antennas can overcome this limit, spanning the mismatch between the wavelength of light and the dimensions of nanostructures. The PI's goals are to demonstrate advanced optical antennas, to educate graduate and undergraduate students in this growing field, and to disseminate the results to the wider community.Intellectual MeritThe PI proposes to develop optical antennas with three important new capabilities. 1). The PI proposes to demonstrate optical antennas that can be optically switched. 2). The PI proposes to demonstrate surface plasmon lasers based on optical antennas integrated with plasmonic collimators. 3). The PI proposes to demonstrate surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) from molecules adsorbed to optical antennas that are integrated with a gain medium. The PI anticipates that significantly stronger SERS spectra will result due to the gain counterbalancing metal loss.Broader ImpactThere exists a move to chips that integrate multiple photonic/plasmonic structures to function as a system. The proposed work will contribute to this goal by introducing new capabilities to plasmonic devices. The project integrates education and outreach with research. The PI will incorporate results from the program into an optics course. The PI will train undergraduate and graduate students. The project will therefore create not only the science, but also the human infrastructure required for future advances. Lastly, demonstrations to the public by the PI and his team will be made at outreach events at local science museums.