Optical Antennas

智能优点：天线被广泛应用于无线电波和微波设备（如手机、电视、卫星通信等），以释放和捕获电磁能。然而，光学模拟在今天的技术中基本上是不存在的。相反，光辐射是通过透镜和镜子重新定向波前来控制的。因此，由于衍射，光场不能定位到比光波长小得多的尺寸上。天线在波长的顺序上具有特征尺寸，并且对于在光学频率下工作的天线，制造精度需要低至10nm。随着纳米科学和技术的出现，这种长度尺度变得越来越容易实现。本项目重点研究贵金属光学天线结构，该结构将通过自上而下的纳米制造技术和自下而上的合成技术来发展。这些结构的基本性质将使用单分子光谱和近场扫描光学显微镜进行研究。这些研究将定义关键的设计标准，并提供对天线耦合吸收和发射过程的基本理解。更广泛的影响：光学天线阵列可能用于人为地增强光电器件（如太阳能电池）的吸收截面或量子产率。他们还将发现从纳米级设备（例如LED照明）有效释放能量的应用，以及提高依赖于不同光谱响应（拉曼散射、荧光等）的生化探测器的效率。该项目将为学生和初级研究人员提供参与国家标准与技术研究所（NIST）和罗切斯特大学光学研究所建立的合作研究和教育计划的机会。这个项目的资源还将用于在一个正在进行的“开放日”项目中实施新的主题，该项目旨在培养小学生的科学好奇心。

Intellectual Merits: Antennas are widely used by radiowave and microwave devices (e.g. cell phones, television, satellite communication, etc.) to release and capture electromagnetic energy. However the optical analogue is basically non-existing in today's technology. Instead, optical radiation is manipulated by redirecting the wavefronts with lenses and mirrors. Consequently, because of diffraction, optical fields cannot be localized to dimensions much smaller than the optical wavelength. Antennas have a characteristic dimension on the order of the wavelength and for antennas to work at optical frequencies fabrication accuracies down to 10nm are required. With the advent of nanoscience and technology this length scale becomes increasingly accessible. This project focuses on the study of noble metal optical antenna structures which will be developed by both top-down nanofabrication techniques and bottom-up synthesis. Fundamental properties of these structures will be investigated using single molecule spectroscopy and near-field scanning optical microscopy. These studies will define critical design criteria, and provide an elementary understanding of antenna-coupled absorption and emission processes. Broader Impacts: Optical antenna arrays are likely to be used for artificially enhancing the absorption cross-section or quantum yield of optoelectronic devices (e.g. solar cells). They will also find application for efficiently releasing energy from nanoscale devices (e.g. LED lighting) and for boosting the efficiency of biochemical detectors relying on a distinct spectroscopic response (Raman scattering, fluorescence, etc. ). This project will offer students and junior researchers the opportunity to participate in a collaborative research and education program established between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Institute of Optics at the University of Rochester. The resources of this project will also be used to implement new topics in an ongoing 'open house' program aimed at fostering scientific curiosity in elementary school children.