Ultrafast Optical and Terahertz Nonlinear, Strong Field Nanoplasmonics

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The recent emergence of nanoplasmonics presents fundamentally new and promising solutions to many challenges faced by photonic devices, whereas current progress in ultrafast optical and terahertz (THz) science and technology have been advancing our understanding of light-matter interaction and ultrahigh bandwidth information processing. While these fields are multidisciplinary in nature, covering subjects that range from atomic physics to medical applications, their merger provides a multitude of applications and advances our knowledge of various fundamental processes occurring in nature. The research harnesses many emerging opportunities in ultrafast phenomena and nanoplasmonics by accessing new ultrafast physics and applications. Under this umbrella, we combine unique nanoscale properties of smart devices and structures with their inherent ultrafast response to: investigate the physics of strong-field laser-matter interaction into the nanoscale world using nanostructures and low-power lasers; develop nanoscale electron accelerators; access a new regime of high-THz plasmonic field-electron interactions; and generate femtosecond spin-polarized electron pulses. The proposal also charts new frontiers in ultrafast THz nanoscopy and nonlinear THz radiation-matter interaction, by providing means to observe, for the first time, real-time atomic and molecular dynamics movies of matter and devices and access the high-field nonlinear THz regime using confining nanostructures. Both areas are key to understanding fundamental physics in semiconductor and nanoplasmonic devices. Furthermore, to overcome the limitation of current electronic devices and to enable ultrafast nanochip digital computing, we will investigate the use of ultrafast nonlinear nanoplasmonics, and offer two innovative nanoplasmonic device platforms (magneto-nanoplasmonics and a Spinplasmonics) for information processing. As such, this involves the unveiling of the physics of various materials and developing innovative devices. Along with the novel technologies created, the research will provide the students with strong training in cutting-edge technologies and unique skills that are highly sought after in the Canadian high-tech industry.