Materials World Network: A New Generation of Optical and Magnetooptical Nonlinear Materials Based on Plasmonic Gain Composites

技术总结：本研究的主要目标是开发一个理论框架，能够为基于新型spaser（通过受激辐射发射进行表面等离子体激元放大）的超材料的设计提供实用建议，该超材料对低强度光场具有强非线性响应。由于spasers是最近才发现的，它们的描述依赖于简单的模型。在材料研究司的支持下，该材料世界网络项目将使用一个现实模型进行分析和数值计算，该模型考虑到spaser组成部分相互作用的各向异性，这允许激发对超材料至关重要的磁模式。超材料遭受不可接受的焦耳损失水平。此外，对于基于超材料的设备，不仅需要克服这些损耗，而且需要实现精确的补偿。该研究项目的目的是证明spasers，作为超材料和磁光材料中的活性夹杂物，是实现这一目标的理想候选者。对于变质等离子体，重要的是考虑的不是一个单一的spaser，而是一个系统的spaser，如有序链和晶格。在这样的系统中，spasers的集体相互作用可能会大大改变产生条件，自振荡的性质，并可能产生新的现象和不稳定性。在俄罗斯和美国团队的合作下，该项目将研究spaser系统在外部电磁场中的集体行为，包括外部场的spaser同步以及它们的相互同步。在过去的十年中，量子纳米等离子体激元学领域经历了爆炸式的增长，这是由于光学领域的许多预期革命性应用，预计将导致超快和超小型光电器件的未来发展。纳米等离子体利用金属纳米颗粒的出色光学特性，当与纳米级活性介质结合时，导致出现“spaser”（通过辐射的受激发射的表面等离子体放大），这是激光的纳米等离子体对应物。由于spasers是最近才发现的，它们的描述是基于简单的模型。在这个材料世界网络项目中，将开发一种新的spasers现实模型。该模型将揭示spasers的新特性，例如磁模式，这对于具有不寻常特性的人造材料“超材料”的应用至关重要。“超材料的应用受到高水平能量损失的抑制。拟议的项目将证明，这一缺点可以克服的帮助下spasers。具有spaser夹杂物的超材料为未来的光学器件提供了理想的低成本平台。这项研究将扩展在纳米尺度上的光-物质相互作用的基本理解。这一提议将促进美国和俄罗斯研究机构之间的国际联系。来自不同社会，种族和民族背景的研究生和本科生将参与研究。他们将接触到合作机构的研究，努力使他们熟悉互补的方法，途径和技术，这将扩大他们的科学视野。

TECHNICAL SUMMARY:The main objective of this research is to develop a theoretical framework capable of making practical recommendations for the design of new spaser (surface plasmon amplification by stimulated emission of radiation) based metamaterials with strong nonlinear response to low intensity optical fields. Since spasers were discovered only recently, their description has relied on simplistic models. With support from the Division of Materials Research, this Materials World Network project will carry out analytical and numerical calculations using a realistic model that takes into account the anisotropy of interactions of the spaser's component parts, which allow for excitation of magnetic modes that are essential for metamaterials. Metamaterials suffer from an unacceptable level of Joule losses. Moreover, for metamaterial based devices it is necessary not only to overcome these losses but to achieve exact compensation. The purpose of this research project is to demonstrate that spasers, as active inclusions in metamaterials and magnetooptical materials, are ideal candidates for achieving this goal. For metaplasmonics, it is important to consider not a single spaser but a system of spasers, such as ordered chains and lattices. The collective interaction of spasers in such a system may substantially change generation conditions, properties of auto-oscillations, and may engender new phenomena and instabilities. With Russian and US teams working in collaboration, the project will study the collective behavior of a system of spasers in an external electromagnetic field including spaser synchronization by the external field as well as their mutual synchronization. NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:In the last decade, the field of quantum nanoplasmonics has experienced explosive growth due to numerous anticipated revolutionary applications in optics, which are expected to lead to the future development of ultrafast and supersmall optoelectronic devices. Nanoplasmonics utilizes outstanding optical properties of metal nanoparticles, which when combined with a nanoscale active medium, results in the emergence of a "spaser" (surface plasmon amplification by stimulated emission of radiation), which is a nanoplasmonic counterpart of the laser. Since spasers were discovered only recently, their description is based on simplistic models. In this Materials World Network project, a novel realistic model of spasers will be developed. This model will reveal new properties of spasers, such as magnetic modes, which are crucial for applications of artificial materials having unusual properties "metamaterials." Applications of metamaterials have been inhibited by high levels of energy loss. The proposed project will demonstrate that this drawback can be overcome with the help of spasers. Metamaterials with spaser inclusions provide an ideal low-cost platform for future optical devices. This study will extend the fundamental understanding of the light-matter interaction at the nanoscale. This proposal will facilitate international contacts between US and Russian research institutions. Graduate and undergraduate students from diverse social, ethnic and national backgrounds will be involved in the research. They will be exposed to the research at the collaborating institutions in an effort to acquaint them with complementary methods, approaches, and techniques that will broaden their scientific horizons.