New Frontiers in Ultrafast High-Field Plasmonics, Nonlinear Nanoplasmonics, Plasmoelectronics, and THz Spinplasmonics

发生在十亿分之一秒（飞秒）百万分之一秒（飞秒）的光与物质相互作用现象、十亿分之一米（纳米）的超小器件、纳米级金属结构内部和附近的非凡和奇异的光行为（纳米等离子体学），以及通过电子自旋的量子特性对金属进行光操纵（自旋等离子体学）继续影响着科学的许多领域并推动我们的技术发展。从根本上讲，这些相互作用表现为光子和电子的光量子之间的相互作用。 然而，这些领域一直在独立发展，需要集成到一个平台上。该提案利用了这些新兴机会并带来了这些领域提供的好处。 在此框架下，我们将光驱动电子和结构的独特纳米级特性与其固有的超快响应相结合，以研究：光场如何与物质相互作用，以及当光被挤压在纳米结构中时其强度如何增强。 我们将利用这种相互作用以前所未有的效率从硅纳米等离子体结构产生可见光，并在超小腔中操纵光以与纳米电子器件集成。我们还将探索一个新领域（等离子体电子学），其中电流是由金属-电介质界面上的光振荡（即等离子体激元）引起的。 这一现象是光控纳米电子平台的前奏。 该提案描绘了新技术的新领域。为了使纳米等离子体技术补充纳米电子学，需要有类似于关键电子元件的基于光的设备。其中一个元件是随机存取存储器（RAM）——一种用于存储数据的计算机存储器。 然而，迄今为止，RAM 只能使用电信号激活，这限制了其速度和多功能性。受到我们最近发现的非易失性光控随机存取存储器的鼓舞，我们计划研究这种有趣的数据存储现象，并开发新的奇异材料用于光存储数据的应用。同样，太赫兹（THz）自旋等离子体技术的创新——选择性地使用高频光来操纵和控制电子自旋以进行信息处理——是光与物质相互作用的一种新的有趣范例。我们计划充分了解光驱动电子自旋输运的物理原理，并开发用于紧凑和高功率太赫兹辐射产生的先进磁性材料。 这项研究的成果不仅通过揭示各种现象和材料的新有趣的物理学来增进我们的知识，而且还为未来的创新技术播下了种子。除了描绘上述前沿之外，该研究还将为学生提供在加拿大高科技行业备受追捧的尖端技术和独特实践技能方面的强有力的培训。

Light-matter interaction phenomena occurring at one millionth of one billionth of a second (femtosecond), ultra small billionth of a metre (nanometre) devices, extraordinary and exotic light behavior inside and at the vicinity of nanometer-sized metal structures (nanoplasmonics), and light manipulation in metals through the quantum property of electron spin (spinplasmonics) continue to influence numerous fields in science and advance our technology. Fundamentallly, these interactions manifest themselves as interplays between light quanta of photons and electrons. However, these fields have been independently evolving and need to be integrated onto a single platform. This proposal takes advantage of such emerging opportunities and brings the benefits offered by these fields. Under this umbrella, we combine unique nanoscale properties of light-driven electrons and structures with their inherent ultrafast response to investigate: how intense light field interacts with matter and how its intensity is enhanced when light is squeezed in nanostructures. We will exploit this interaction to generate visible light from silicon nanoplasmonic structures at unprecedented efficiency and manipulate light in ultra small cavities for integration with nanoelectronic devices. We will also explore a new field (plasmoelectronics) wherein electrical current is induced by light oscillations on a metal-dielectric interface (i.e. plasmons). This phenomenon is a prelude for the light-controlled nanoelectronics platform. This proposal charts new frontiers in novel technologies. For nanoplasmonics to complement nanoelectronics, there needs to be light-based devices analogous to key electronic components. One such element is a random access memory (RAM) -a computer memory being used to store data. However, to date RAM is only activated using electrical signals which limit its speed and versatility. Encouraged by our recent discovery of a non-volatile light-controlled random access memory, we plan to study this intriguing phenomenon for data storage and develop new exotic materials for application where light is used to store data. Likewise, innovation in terahertz (THz) spinplasmonics-where high frequency light is selectively used to manipulate and control electron spin for information processing- is a new intriguing paradigm for light-matter interaction. We plan to achieve full understanding of the physics of light-driven electron spin transport and develop advanced magnetic materials for compact and high-power THz radiation generation. The outcomes of this research not only advance our knowledge by unveiling new interesting physics of various phenomena and materials, but it also plants the seeds for future innovative technologies. Along with charting the aforementioned frontiers, the research will provide the students with strong training in cutting-edge technologies and unique hand-on skills that are highly sought after in the Canadian high-tech industry.