Taming Terahertz Vacuum Fluctuations for a Novel Generation of Nanodevices

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Low-dimensional materials represent an extremely appealing solution to overcome the current limits of traditional electronic scaling, as they promise to bring miniaturization down to the level of single atomic layers. This would impact a wide range of opto- and nano-electronic technologies, at the core of a variety of devices (such as personal computers, as well as smart phones, tablets and TVs) that assist us in many aspects of our daily life. A drastic boost in the performance and energy efficiency of these new material platforms is now needed to definitively push their practical implementation. The research program described in this proposal will focus on improving the optical/electrical performance of low-dimensional systems through a completely novel approach, by acting on the very mechanism (phonon scattering - phonons being quanta of lattice vibrations) that is typically responsible for energy dissipation in solids. Unlike current efforts targeting more straightforward but often marginal material optimizations, we will engineer the electromagnetic environment where the materials operate. Indeed, we have recently demonstrated that the intrinsic phonon response of nanomaterials can be modified using properly tailored terahertz nanoplasmonic resonators. This can be achieved without the need of any direct terahertz illumination, by solely exploiting the high "vacuum" electric field associated with terahertz "quantum vacuum fluctuations" in such resonators. The proposed research will address the design and realization of novel nanophotonic architectures for the selective manipulation of the optical phonon response of reduced-dimensionality materials. Devices to be pursued in the mid- to long-term will include advanced LEDs and nanoelectronic circuits, as well as `on chip' terahertz sensor and terahertz data communication systems. In the short-term, activities will be conducted around four inter-related research tracks, exploiting phonon resonance reshaping to develop: (i) miniaturized sources of terahertz radiation that do not require complex optical pumping stations to operate; (ii) schemes for enhancing terahertz nonlinearities at the nanoscale; plasmonic nano-architectures for boosting (iii) optical light emission and (iv) charge transport in two-dimensional materials. The program will ultimately provide general, well-founded guidelines on when and how terahertz vacuum fluctuation design solutions can offer a competitive advantage in obtaining high-performing systems. It can thus pave the way for the development of new advanced technologies, consistently with the immediate needs of the Canadian photonics industry, while also promoting the training of highly qualified personnel, to respond to the scientific and technological challenges of our modern society.