Excellence in Research: Processes and Interactions in Hybrid Plasmonic Systems

该奖项由材料研究部的凝聚态物质和材料理论计划和人力资源开发部的HBCU-UP计划联合资助。非技术总结研究项目“卓越的研究：混合等离子体系统中的过程和相互作用”涉及等离子体激元领域的理论和计算研究，主要侧重于等离子体增强的光学光谱。表面等离子体是金属-介质复合结构中的集体电子激发，它可以与分子和固体中的激发态发生强烈的相互作用，从而显著改变它们的光学特性。在等离子体系统中，表面等离子体与半导体纳米结构或染料分子中的激发子之间的光学相互作用为等离子体在光伏、光学传感和光化学等领域的应用奠定了基础。该项目的目的是对混合等离子体系统的光学性质进行建模，该系统由系统组成部分之间的相干相互作用和/或能量转移所定义。这项研究将在杰克逊州立大学进行，将极大地帮助一所历史悠久的黑人大学的人力资源能力的发展，这所大学主要服务于当地少数族裔学生的教育需求。技术摘要该项目旨在模拟混合等离子系统中的光学过程和相互作用，例如与半导体纳米结构或染料分子共轭的金属-介质结构。主要内容包括：(A)超出等离子体增强极限的自发辐射，(B)Forster能量转移和向强耦合区域的转变，(C)中间激子-等离子体耦合和激子诱导的透明，(D)混合等离子体系统中的Fano干涉，以及其他相关问题。这项研究将主要集中在系统组件之间的相干相互作用以及决定混合系统光学性质的相关光学过程。这些方法包括一种分析和数值工具的组合，适用于分析具有许多组成部分的等离子体系统。这一奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award is funded jointly by the Condensed-Matter-and-Materials-Theory program in the Division of Materials Research and by the HBCU-UP program in the Division of Human-Resource Development.Nontechnical SummaryThe research project "Excellence in Research: Processes and Interactions in Hybrid Plasmonic Systems" involves theoretical and computational studies in the area of plasmonics with the main focus on plasmon-enhanced optical spectroscopy. Surface plasmons are collective electronic excitations in metal-dielectric composite structures which can interact strongly with excited states in molecules and solids to significantly change their optical characteristics. In plasmonic systems, the optical interactions between surface plasmons and excitations in semiconductor nanostructures or dye molecules underpin numerous plasmonics applications in photovoltaics, optical sensing, and photochemistry, among others. The project aims at modeling the optical properties of hybrid plasmonic systems that are defined by coherent interactions and/or energy transfer between system constituent parts. This research will be carried out at Jackson State University and will substantially aid the development of human resources capacity in a historically black university that primarily serves educational needs of local minority students.Technical SummaryThe project aims at modeling the optical processes and interactions in hybrid plasmonic systems such as metal-dielectric structures conjugated with semiconductor nanostructures or dye molecules. The main topics include studies of (a) spontaneous emission beyond the plasmon field enhancement limits, (b) Forster energy transfer and the transition to the strong-coupling regime, (c) intermediate exciton-plasmon coupling and exciton-induced transparency, (d) Fano interference in hybrid plasmonic systems, and other pertinent issues. The research will be mainly focused on coherent interactions between the system constituents and on related optical processes that determine the optical properties of hybrid systems. The methods include a combination of analytical and numerical tools suitable for analyzing plasmonic systems with many constituent parts. The results will be used for modeling of experimental findings and are expected to aid the development of plasmon-based device applications.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.