Electrically-Induced Nonlinear Optical Processes in Plasmonic Metamaterials

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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.