Excellence in Research: Tunable hybrid photonic materials at strong coherent coupling

当光与具有纳米级特征的材料相互作用时，就会出现非技术有趣的现象。例如，蝴蝶翅膀的鲜艳颜色来自纳米级的光子结构。新兴的纳米光子学领域将这种光-物质相互作用应用于产生清洁电力和提高化学反应效率等应用领域。在这个项目中，研究人员将基于光学活性分子和纳米环境之间的相干耦合来设计和制造可调的混合纳米结构。研究人员将结合最先进的实验和建模，探索与精确设计和控制的纳米环境中的光-物质相互作用相关的复杂现象。其目的是实现对光-物质相互作用的精确控制，从而实现新技术。这一合作项目将在两所HBCU，诺福克州立大学和杰克逊州立大学进行。广泛的教育部分将通过合作、学生交换和共同咨询来加强两所大学的STEM研究生和本科生课程。研究人员将让来自代表性不足的少数族裔的学生参与尖端研究，从而丰富他们的教育。光与分子系综的技术相互作用，这些分子系综强耦合到金属表面和纳米结构中激发的表面等离子激元，引起一系列现象，这些现象可能导致纳米级光学响应的戏剧性变化。这个合作研究项目涉及(I)混合光子材料的光学性质的实验研究和建模，该材料涉及大量光学活性分子，其光学性质由它们与系统金属部件中激发的等离子体强耦合来定义，(Ii)开发在光技术中有潜在应用的新型混合光子材料设计，以及(Iii)通过将研究和教育工作相结合，包括联合研讨会、学生共同咨询和学生交流，显著扩大参与的少数族裔机构(JSU和NSU)的研究能力。实验研究将在NSU实验室进行，而建模将在JSU进行。在拟议的研究过程中获得的结果将通过出版物、演示文稿和专利进行传播。拟议的项目由四项不同的任务组成，这些任务在有机光伏、光电纳米电路和信号处理方面具有潜在的应用价值。预计在该项目为期三年的时间里，将有近12名研究生和本科生受到该项目的直接或间接影响。该项目计划的研究、教育和外展活动之间的协同作用可能会深刻影响参与机构的少数族裔学生，并提供HBCU在尖端研究方面卓有成效的合作的范例。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

NontechnicalInteresting phenomena happen when light interacts with materials with nanoscale features. For example, the brilliant colors of butterfly wings arise from nanoscale photonic structures. The emerging field of nanophotonics puts such light-matter interaction to use in applications such as generating clean electrical power and improving the efficiency of chemical reactions. In this project, investigators will design and fabricate tunable hybrid nanostructures based on coherent coupling between optically active molecules and the nanoscale environment. Investigators will combine state-of-art experiment and modeling to explore the complex phenomena associated with light-matter interactions in precisely designed and controlled nanoscale environments. The aim is to achieve precise control of light-matter interactions and thereby enable novel technologies. This collaborative project will be carried out at two HBCUs, Norfolk State University and Jackson State University. The extensive educational component will strengthen the graduate and undergraduate programs in STEM at both institutions via collaboration, student exchange and co-advising. Investigators will involve students from underrepresented minorities in cutting-edge research and thereby enrich their education.TechnicalInteraction of light with the ensembles of molecules that are strongly coupled to surface plasmons excited in metal surfaces and nanostructures gives rise to a host of phenomena which can cause dramatic changes in the optical response at the nanoscale. This collaborative research project involves (i) Experimental studies and modeling of optical properties of hybrid photonic materials involving large ensembles of optically active molecules whose optical properties are defined by their strong coupling to the plasmons excited in the system’s metallic components, (ii) Developing novel designs for hybrid photonic materials with potential applications in light technologies; and (iii) Significantly expanding the research capacity at the participating minority institutions (JSU and NSU) by combining research and educational efforts, including joint seminars, student co-advising, and student exchange. The experimental studies will be performed at NSU Labs while the modeling will be carried out at JSU. The results obtained in the course of proposed research will be disseminated via publications, presentations and patents. The proposed project consists of four distinct tasks which have potential applications in organic photovoltaics, opto-electronic nanocircuitry and signal processing. It is expected that nearly a dozen graduate and undergraduate students will be impacted by the program, directly or indirectly, over a three-year span of the project. The synergy between the research, education and outreach activities planned in this project could profoundly impact the minority students at participating institutions and provide an example of a fruitful collaboration between HBCUs in cutting-edge research.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.