CAREER: Extraordinary Enhancement of Optical Nonlinearity in Subwavelength Metal-Nonlinear Dielectric Gratings

该计划的目的是促进对亚波长金属纳米结构中增强光学非线性的机制的理解。其方法是：(1)研究亚波长金属-非线性介质光栅系统中的非线性增强；(2)发展有效的介质(超材料)描述来评估增强和预测新的光学现象；(3)研究增强的基本极限，并探索增强与光栅几何的关系。这一提议的成功将对光学科学产生革命性的影响，为增强和定制光学非线性提供一种可行的机制，以创建多功能非线性光学材料。智能优势：人工创建的非均匀复合材料的最新进展为合成新的材料类别创造了机会，这将使新的线性和非线性纳米光子器件家族成为可能。PI将研究纳米结构中光学非线性异常增强的机制及其应用。这一方案的研究成果将使用于光开关和调制的超紧凑、超快和高能效的非线性光学器件成为可能，为未来对宽带信号处理的需求做准备。广泛的影响：该研究计划提出了一种开发新型非线性人工工程材料结构的方法。跨学科的科学和工程培训和教育还将涉及与少数民族、妇女和K-12教师和学生合作。该协会参与了一项技术推广计划，并将通过推广活动进一步促进公众的科学意识计划。

The objective of this program is to advance the understanding of the mechanisms for enhancing optical nonlinearity in subwavelength metallic nanostructures. The approach is: (1) to examine the nonlinearity enhancement in subwavelength metal-nonlinear dielectric grating systems; (2) to develop an effective medium (metamaterial) description to assess the enhancement and to predict new optical phenomena; and (3) to investigate the fundamental limit of the enhancement and to explore the dependence of enhancement on grating geometry. The success of this proposal will be transformative to optical science, providing a viable mechanism for enhancing and tailoring the optical nonlinearity to create multi-functional nonlinear optical materials.Intellectual merit: Recent advances in artificially created inhomogeneous composite materials have established the opportunity for synthesis of new classes of material that will enable new families of linear and nonlinear nanophotonic devices. The PI will examine the mechanisms for extraordinary enhancement of optical nonlinearity in nano-structures and the applications. The research findings of this proposal will make possible ultra-compact, ultrafast, and energy-efficient nonlinear optical devices for optical switching and modulation to prepare for future demands for broadband signal processing.Broader impacts: This research program presents an approach to develop novel nonlinear artificially engineered material structures. The interdisciplinary science and engineering training and education will also involve working with minority, women and K-12 teachers and students. The PI participates in a technology outreach program, and will further contribute to general public science awareness programs through outreach activities.