Hyperuniform Disordered Photonic Materials

在这个提议中，我们的目标是开发新的光子材料，其中无序被作为一种资源来利用，以控制光的发射和传输，为未来几代光学器件。利用光来通信和处理信息被广泛认为是推动21世纪从信息技术、能源和传感到医疗保健等广泛领域创新的技术。到目前为止，对光流的控制已经通过精心和周期性结构的材料来实现，这些材料可以弯曲光线，使其减慢速度并在短时间内停止，以便进行处理步骤。由于理论、计算和纳米制造能力的进步，我们不再局限于定义良好的周期结构。相反，我们可以构建由明显随机模式组成的复杂系统，如果设计得当，可以带来优于传统光子系统的性能。该项目将重点发展超均匀无序纳米光子材料，这是一种新型的光子结构，其结构相关性和无序性被精确控制。这些新材料是在2009年发现的，它们结合了周期系统的鲁棒性和无序系统的灵活性，已经引起了相当大的关注。我们将探索超均匀介质的特性，以控制光流，增强光发射，并构建新型激光器和光学电路。提出的研究将增强英国在无序光子材料、激光技术和集成光子电路方面的能力，将对更高效、更具成本效益的光伏发电和高效闪电产生直接影响；通过我们的研究，先进的光学能力将支持“物联网”的持续指数增长。

In this proposal we aim to develop novel photonic materials in which disorder is exploited as a resource, to control light emission and transport, for future generations of optical devices.The use of light to communicate and process information is widely recognised as the technology that will drive innovations in the 21st century across a wide range of areas, from information technology, energy and sensing, to healthcare. So far, control of light flow has been achieved by carefully and periodically structured materials, which can bend light, slow it down and stop if for a short time, to allow for the processing steps to take place. Due to advances in theoretical, computational and nano-fabrication capabilities we are no longer restricted to well-defined periodic structures. Instead we can construct complex systems made of apparently random patterns, which when suitably designed, can lead to performances superior to those offered by conventional photonic systems. The proposed project will focus on the development of hyperuniform disordered nanophotonic materials, a novel class of photonic structures in which structural correlations and disorder are accurately controlled. Discovered in 2009, these new materials have already attracted considerable attention as they combine the robust properties of periodic systems with the flexibility of disordered ones. We will explore the properties of hyperuniform media with the goal to control light flow, to enhance light emission, and to construct novel type of lasers and optical circuits.The research proposed will enhance UK's capabilities in disordered photonic materials, laser technology and integrated photonics circuitry, will have direct impact on more efficient and cost effective photovoltaic power generation and efficient lightning; the advanced optical capabilities to be enabled by our research will support the constant exponential growth of the "internet of things".