EAGER: Enhanced Optical Pressure from Nanostructured Metal Films

EAGER：纳米结构金属薄膜增强光学压力

• 批准号: 1549541
• 负责人: Kevin Webb
• 金额: $ 11.68万
• 依托单位: Purdue University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-08-01 至 2016-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1549541&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EAGER; Enhanced; Optical; Pressure; Nanostructured

Enhanced Optical Pressure from Nanostructured Metal FilmsKevin Webb and Xianfan Xu, Purdue UniversityA combined theoretical and experimental study of optical forces in nanostructured material is proposed to establish a method to control the nanometer-scale force on a small particle and to provide enhancement in the total pressure on a structured surface. Consequently, large forces on small particles and an increase in the total force on a membrane are expected. While optical tweezers are now commercially available, they are effective for moving large beads to which, for example, biological molecules are attached. Positioning nanoparticles like quantum dots requires large and local forces that can be achieved with control over the geometry of a metal surface. This would circumvent the need for the large beads in optical tweezers and provide an approach for synthesizing new materials by nano-scale optical assembly. Furthermore, the substantial increase in the relatively weak pressure provided by light will allow weaker optical signals to be used in mechanical control. The resulting optomechanical system can be simpler and more versatile than optoelectronic systems, opening communication and sensing opportunities. Specifically, while it has been recognized that all-optical networks can increase both speed and efficiency, there remain challenges as to how to provide network reconfiguration that this approach could address. At the fundamental level, this work will provide experimental force data on the nanometer scale that will be used in establishing a model that can be used for device design. The goal of this project is to design and fabricate gold films with resonant nanometer-scale slots that are expected to produce a dramatic enhancement in the overall pressure. The verification of this method for increasing the force will allow the approach to be used to mechanically control a surface using laser light in various free space and waveguide arrangements. The project will lay the design foundations for nanophotonic structures that impart substantial and controllable optical forces to actuate tuning elements in photonic networks. This will simplify switching technology and the approach has the potential to reduce energy consumption and cost. This project will facilitate sensing, allowing a molecule to be moved to a region with large field and hence large Raman dipole moment for identification. Such nanoscale traps could be used in material synthesis, allowing trapping of quantum dots in nanocavities for achieving optical sources and detectors, for instance. While optical tweezers are becoming more common, determination of the absolute force relies on macroscopic calibration procedures that do not provide access to the force on the nanometer scale. By evaluating the relationship between materials and geometry and the force, it should be possible to design tweezers with larger forces to move smaller objects or larger objects locally. There should also be new opportunities through control of the optical material properties, both electric and magnetic. At the fundamental level, the proposed work may provide an answer to a century-long debate about the description of the optical force.

提出了纳米结构金属膜韦伯和徐凡XU的增强的光压，普渡大学（Purdue Universitya）合并了纳米结构材料中光学力的理论和实验研究，以建立一种控制小粒子上的纳米规模力的方法，并在结构表面的总压力中提供增强的粒子。因此，预计在小颗粒上的大力和膜上的总力增加。虽然现在可商购的光学镊子可有效地移动大珠，例如，生物分子附着在上面。将纳米颗粒（如量子点）定位需要大大和局部力，可以控制金属表面的几何形状。这将规定光学镊子中的大珠的需求，并提供了通过纳米级光学组件合成新材料的方法。此外，光所提供的相对较弱的压力大大增加将允许在机械控制中使用较弱的光学信号。与光电系统相比，所得的光力系统可以更简单，更通用，开放通信和感应机会。具体而言，尽管已经认识到全光网络可以提高速度和效率，但对于如何提供该方法可以解决的网络重新配置仍然存在挑战。在基本层面上，这项工作将在纳米尺度上提供实验力数据，该数据将用于建立可用于设备设计的模型。该项目的目的是设计和制造具有共振纳米尺度插槽的黄金膜，预计将在整体压力中产生巨大的增强。对增加力的方法的验证将允许使用该方法在各种自由空间和波导布置中使用激光光机械控制表面。该项目将为纳米光子结构奠定设计基础，这些纳米光子结构赋予了实质和可控的光学力，以在光子网络中启动调谐元件。这将简化切换技术，方法有可能降低能耗和成本。该项目将有助于感测，从而使分子移至具有较大田间的区域，因此可以将大的拉曼偶极矩进行识别。这种纳米级陷阱可用于材料合成，从而使纳米腔中的量子点捕获以实现光源和检测器。尽管光学镊子变得越来越普遍，但绝对力的确定依赖于宏观校准程序，这些程序无法在纳米尺度上提供对力的访问。通过评估材料与几何形状与力之间的关系，应该可以设计具有较大力的镊子，以将较小的物体或较大的物体移动本地。通过控制电气和磁性的光学材料特性，也应该有新的机会。在基本层面上，拟议的工作可能会为有关光学力量描述的一个世纪的辩论提供答案。