CAREER: Towards Control of Photo-Induced Charges in Chiral Nanocomposites via Optical Spin-Orbit Interactions

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Technical: The research component of this CAREER award aims to understand the photo-induced electrical energy flows in chiral nanocomposite materials where nonlinear optical phenomena are observed at unprecedented low light intensities (1 W/cm^2) stemming from the appreciable photo-induced magnetic fields and the interactions between nanoparticles. These effects, associated with optical spin-orbit interactions, are theoretically underestimated and not well understood; refining numerical models so that they properly estimate the measured intensity-dependent and polarization-dependent processes is a priority in this project. Samples of partially-metal-coated dielectric nanospheres are subsumed in transparent conducting polymers and assembled electrophoretically and with external magnetic-field processing techniques. Scattering, transient absorption, electrical, and magnetic field measurements characterize the modified nanoparticle alignment and the low-frequency charge transport that occurs in the surrounding conducting polymer.Non-technical: The project addresses basic research issues in a topical area of materials science with technological relevancy. Nanocomposite materials provide a platform for new optoelectronics, solar harvesting, and photocatalysis applications. The educational activities of this project are designed to attract, train, and retain creative, resourceful students of all backgrounds, with special emphasis on those attending public schools in the outer New York boroughs of Queens and the Bronx. Research opportunities for highly motivated pre-college students, professional Master's students, and international collaborators address the need for scientific training prior to and outside of a doctoral program.