Electrically-Induced Nonlinear Optical Processes in Plasmonic Metamaterials

等离子体超材料中的电致非线性光学过程非技术描述本研究项目旨在探索利用电学手段对光子超材料中的非线性光学过程进行主动控制。超材料能够通过人工构造构件的有序排列提供自然界中没有的非正统性质，而非线性光学是光科学的一个关键分支，它促进了对光子的主动操纵和新光谱分量的产生。这项拟议的研究提供了潜在的变革性手段，通过生产具有电致能非线性光学效应的工程光子超材料来实现光子应用的电学和光学双重功能。这项研究工作解决了关于非线性光学定律的基本问题，同时为超材料如何在集成光子学和液体环境中用于电光应用提供了实用的见解。该项目的成功实施将为基于超材料的光电子系统的设计和实现带来一种全新的范式，用于信号处理、生化传感和光学计算。这项研究与高中和大学层面的教育项目紧密结合在一起，预计将通过一系列丰富的教育和外联活动，加强未来科学家和工程师的跨学科思维。该研究计划将教育当地的K-12学校系统，并与之互动，通过促进与学生的互动活动、演示和研讨会，突出与STEM相关的职业道路。本项目的主要重点是利用等离子体器件中的电致能非线性过程，并探索将超材料作为自给自足的电光平台用于非线性信号产生、信息处理和光学传感。利用纳米结构金属同时支持的光学和电学功能，这项研究全面研究了材料、组件和系统水平上的电致能、非线性光-物质相互作用。该项目的目标是解决电光系统中光子超材料不发达的问题，并促进功能超材料的设计和实现的最新水平。在这项研究中，研究人员旨在通过从一个完全不同的角度探索超材料来释放等离子体超材料在光电信息技术中的全部潜力。作为具有奇异光学性质的人工结构材料的传统角色，等离子体超材料将被开发为一个具有内在嵌入的电功能和光学非线性的完整和可推广的电光平台。特别是，由于低频电场或电荷积累引起的反转对称性的破坏，有效的二阶非线性过程将被电致能和主动控制。研究的中心主题包括光子超材料中的电诱导非线性光学产生，以及水体系中等离子体的电控非线性表征。该项目解决了推动超材料超越基础科学研究范围并走向现实世界应用的重大挑战，这是朝着国家对光子学和电子学无缝集成的需求迈出的具体一步。

Title: Electrically-Induced Nonlinear Optical Processes in Plasmonic Metamaterials Non-Technical DescriptionThis research project aims to explore the active control of nonlinear optical processes in photonic metamaterials using electrical means. Metamaterials are able to provide unorthodox properties not found in nature through ordered arrangements of artificially structured building blocks, and nonlinear optics is a critical branch of the science of light that facilitates the active manipulation of photons and the generation of new spectral components. The proposed research offers potentially transformative means to achieve dual electrical and optical functionalities for photonic applications by producing engineered photonic metamaterials with electrically enabled nonlinear optical effects. The research effort addresses fundamental questions about the laws of nonlinear optics, and meanwhile offers practical insights into how metamaterials can be utilized for electro-optic applications in both integrated photonics and liquid environments. Successful execution of this project will lead to a fundamentally new paradigm in the design and implementation of metamaterial-based optoelectronic systems for signal processing, biochemical sensing, and optical computing. This research is closely integrated with educational programs at the high school and collegiate levels, and is expected to enhance interdisciplinary thinking in future scientists and engineers through a rich set of educational and outreach activities. The research program will educate and interact with local K-12 school systems that are historically underrepresented, and highlight STEM related career pathways by facilitating interactive activities, demos and workshops with students. Technical DescriptionThe primary focus of this project is to harness the electrically-enabled nonlinear processes in plasmonic devices, and explore the use of metamaterials as self-sufficient electro-optic platforms for nonlinear signal generation, information processing, and optical sensing. Leveraging the optical and electrical functions simultaneously supported by nanostructured metals, this research comprehensively investigates electrically-enabled, nonlinear light-matter interactions that encompass material, component, and system levels. The goal of this project is to resolve the underdevelopment of photonic metamaterials in the electro-optic regime, and advance the state-of-the-art in the design and implementation of functional metamaterials. In this research, the investigator aims to unlock the full potential of plasmonic metamaterials for optoelectronic information technology by exploring metamaterials from an entirely distinct perspective. Instead of their conventional role as artificially structured materials with exotic optical properties, plasmonic metamaterials will be exploited to serve as a complete and generalizable electro-optic platform with intrinsically embedded electrical functions and optical nonlinearity. In particular, effective second-order nonlinear processes will be electrically enabled and actively controlled, thanks to the breaking of inversion symmetry induced by a low-frequency electric field or accumulation of electric charges. Central themes of the research include electrically-induced nonlinear optical generation in photonic metamaterials, and electrically-controlled nonlinear characterization with plasmonics in aqueous systems. The project addresses a grand challenge to push metamaterials beyond the scope of basic scientific research and towards real-world applications, which serve as a concrete step towards the national needs for seamless integration of photonics and electronics.