EAGER: Exploring Antenna-Enhanced Nano IR-Sensors

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The objective of the program is to explore the integration of nano metallic structures with photonic crystal for developing high efficient photonic antennas to significantly improve the fill factor of nanocarbon material based infrared detectors. It has been demonstrated that the nanocarbon material based infrared detectors have many superb performance comparing to currently available infrared detectors such as no need for cryogenic cooling, spectrum detection, and high signal to noise ratio. However the major bottle neck for applying such detectors is their low fill factors due to the dimensions of nanocarbon material. The potential results of this program will be a key step forward for the applications of nanocarbon material based infrared detectors. They will be also transformative by discovering new knowledge on the design of nanophotonic antenna and nanoinfrared detectors, and developing new nanomanufacturing processes for nanophotonic devices. The intellectual merit is to advance the state-of-art of nanocarbon material based photovoltaics by using a photonic antenna to increase quantum efficiency and fill factors. The transformative contributions will be made in theoretical understanding of electromagnetic field topology and surface plasmonics, optimal design of nanophotonic devices, and efficient nanomanufacturing.The broader impacts are not only on nanophotonics and nanomanufacturing, but also on broader areas including: creating new multidisciplinary research and development directions in nanotechnology and electromagnetics; providing new understanding and devices for research and development in engineering, biology and other science fields; and leading to the development of new infrared cameras for applications in national security, medical diagnostics, and industrial inspections.