OP: Coherence and Energy Transfer Processes in Lattice Plasmon Lasers

OP：晶格等离子激元激光器中的相干和能量转移过程

• 批准号: 1608258
• 负责人: Teri Odom
• 金额: $ 42万
• 依托单位: Northwestern University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-09-15 至 2020-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1608258&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: OP; Coherence; Energy; Transfer; Processes

Nontechnical description: Lasers are ubiquitous in products such as readers for Blu-ray discs and bar-code scanners at supermarkets. Shrinking the size of lasers will enable their use in exciting new applications, from ultra-sensitive miniature sensors to faster computer chips to broadband wireless networks. However, understanding how nanoscale-sized lasers operate and amplify light remains a challenge. This work aims to uncover the fundamental operational principles of nanoscale lasers, given that their physical structure is significantly different from that of traditional lasers. Optics and photonics is a major NSF and US initiative, and broader impacts of this project focus on light and nano-photonics activities. Examples include introducing ideas in nano-photonics to the public by writing opinion pieces, serving the scientific community through editorial roles, and hosting hands-on activities on lasers and other optical phenomena for local high school students and teachers. Finally, drawing upon their editorial experience, the project leaders participate in workshops that focus on ethics in publishing and handling of controversial research topics.Technical description: This project addresses experimental and theoretical studies of the mechanisms of coherence and energy transfer processes in nanoscale lasers comprising arrays of metal nanoparticles, in which surface plasmon excitations drive stimulated emission in organic dyes. To date, only a cursory understanding of how dye molecules affect population inversion at the nanoscopic level and lasing at the macroscopic level exists. This research aims to address this knowledge gap in nano-lasers using lattice plasmons as a model optical feedback system. Unlike in conventional lasers, quantification of loss in the cavity structures studied here is not straightforward. This project addresses a new approach to understanding competing energy transfer processes in the lasing action of lattice plasmon lasers based on coherence, cavity size, and ultra-fast characteristics. Electrodynamics coupled to density matrix methods serve to model coherence effects in these lasers.

非技术描述：激光在超市的蓝光盘和条形码扫描仪等产品中无处不在。从超敏感的微型传感器到更快的计算机芯片到宽带无线网络，缩小激光器的大小将使它们能够在令人兴奋的新应用中使用。但是，了解纳米级的激光器如何运行和放大光仍然是一个挑战。这项工作旨在揭示纳米级激光器的基本操作原理，因为它们的物理结构与传统激光的结构显着不同。光学和光子学是NSF和美国的一项主要计划，该项目的更广泛影响着重于光和纳米光子学活动。例子包括通过编写舆论文章，通过社论角色为科学界服务，并为当地高中生和老师介绍动手活动，并为当地的高中生和其他光学现象举办动手活动，从而向公众介绍思想。 Finally, drawing upon their editorial experience, the project leaders participate in workshops that focus on ethics in publishing and handling of controversial research topics.Technical description: This project addresses experimental and theoretical studies of the mechanisms of coherence and energy transfer processes in nanoscale lasers comprising arrays of metal nanoparticles, in which surface plasmon excitations drive stimulated emission in organic dyes.迄今为止，只有对染料分子如何影响纳米镜面水平的种群反转和宏观水平的激光的粗略理解。这项研究旨在使用晶格等离子作为模型的光反馈系统来解决纳米激光器中的这种知识差距。与常规激光器不同，此处研究的腔结构中损耗的量化并不直接。该项目介绍了一种新的方法，以了解基于连贯性，空腔大小和超快速特征的晶格等离激光激光器的激光作用中的竞争能量传递过程。耦合与密度基质方法的电动力学可以在这些激光器中建模相干效应。