Excellence in Research: Processes and Interactions in Hybrid Plasmonic Systems

该奖项由材料研究部凝聚态物质和材料理论项目和人力资源开发部HBCU-UP项目联合资助。非技术摘要研究项目“卓越研究：过程和相互作用”混合等离子体系统”涉及等离子体领域的理论和计算研究，主要关注等离子体增强光谱学。 表面等离子体激元是金属-电介质复合结构中的集体电子激发，它可以与分子和固体中的激发态强烈相互作用，从而显着改变其光学特性。 在等离子体系统中，表面等离子体与半导体纳米结构或染料分子中的激发之间的光学相互作用支撑了光致发光、光学传感和光化学等中的许多等离子体应用。 该项目旨在模拟混合等离子体系统的光学特性，这些系统由系统组成部分之间的相干相互作用和/或能量转移定义。 这项研究将在杰克逊州立大学进行，并将大大有助于人力资源能力的发展，在一个历史悠久的黑人大学，主要服务于当地少数民族学生的教育需求。技术摘要该项目旨在模拟混合等离子体系统，如金属-介电结构共轭半导体纳米结构或染料分子的光学过程和相互作用。 主要研究课题包括：（a）等离子体场增强极限之外的自发辐射，（B）福斯特能量转移和向强耦合区的转变，（c）中间激子-等离子体耦合和激子诱导的透明性，（d）混合等离子体系统中的Fano干涉，以及其他相关问题。 研究将主要集中在系统成分之间的相干相互作用和相关的光学过程，确定混合系统的光学特性。 该方法包括适合于分析具有许多组成部分的等离子体系统的分析和数值工具的组合。 该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

This award is funded jointly by the Condensed-Matter-and-Materials-Theory program in the Division of Materials Research and by the HBCU-UP program in the Division of Human-Resource Development.Nontechnical SummaryThe research project "Excellence in Research: Processes and Interactions in Hybrid Plasmonic Systems" involves theoretical and computational studies in the area of plasmonics with the main focus on plasmon-enhanced optical spectroscopy. Surface plasmons are collective electronic excitations in metal-dielectric composite structures which can interact strongly with excited states in molecules and solids to significantly change their optical characteristics. In plasmonic systems, the optical interactions between surface plasmons and excitations in semiconductor nanostructures or dye molecules underpin numerous plasmonics applications in photovoltaics, optical sensing, and photochemistry, among others. The project aims at modeling the optical properties of hybrid plasmonic systems that are defined by coherent interactions and/or energy transfer between system constituent parts. This research will be carried out at Jackson State University and will substantially aid the development of human resources capacity in a historically black university that primarily serves educational needs of local minority students.Technical SummaryThe project aims at modeling the optical processes and interactions in hybrid plasmonic systems such as metal-dielectric structures conjugated with semiconductor nanostructures or dye molecules. The main topics include studies of (a) spontaneous emission beyond the plasmon field enhancement limits, (b) Forster energy transfer and the transition to the strong-coupling regime, (c) intermediate exciton-plasmon coupling and exciton-induced transparency, (d) Fano interference in hybrid plasmonic systems, and other pertinent issues. The research will be mainly focused on coherent interactions between the system constituents and on related optical processes that determine the optical properties of hybrid systems. The methods include a combination of analytical and numerical tools suitable for analyzing plasmonic systems with many constituent parts. The results will be used for modeling of experimental findings and are expected to aid the development of plasmon-based device applications.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.