CAREER: Transfer of Momentum and Energy in the Nanoscale Using Quantum and Thermal Fluctuations

职业：利用量子和热涨落在纳米尺度上传递动量和能量

• 批准号: 1941680
• 负责人: Alejandro Manjavacas
• 金额: $ 49.98万
• 依托单位: University of New Mexico
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-05-01 至 2023-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1941680&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Transfer; Momentum; Energy; Nanoscale; CAREER; Transfer; Momentum; Energy; Nanoscale

NONTECHNICAL SUMMARYThe interaction between light and matter at the nanoscale can be very different from our daily macroscopic experience. When the dimensions of material structures, or the space separating them, reach the range of nanometers, the quantum nature of light and matter emerges and gives rise to new phenomena. This award supports theoretical research that is aimed at investigating various new phenomena involving the transfer of momentum and energy between nanoscale objects within the context of two novel concepts that have recently emerged in the field of nanophotonics: structures with atomic thickness and spin-orbit interactions of light. The investigation of these phenomena within a common theoretical framework will allow the PI and his team to establish the foundations for new paradigms enabling noncontact transfer of momentum and energy at the nanoscale. The research supported by this award can, in the long run, help in developing novel approaches for manipulating nanoscale objects, including biologically relevant structures. The results on energy transfer can have an impact on the improvement of thermal devices and heat management strategies in nanoelectronics. This award also supports educational and outreach activities aimed at improving the recruitment and retention of students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), with a special emphasis on first-generation and low-income students from underrepresented minorities. The PI and his team will implement a range of activities targeting students, from middle school to the graduate level, which aim to generate and foster interest in STEM disciplines, preserve that interest, and mold it into essential skills and experience. TECHNICAL SUMMARYThis award supports theoretical research with an overarching goal of investigating the transfer of momentum and energy at the nanoscale mediated by the quantum and thermal fluctuations of the electromagnetic field. To that end, the PI and his team will implement a robust theoretical framework by investigating and overcoming the limits of the fluctuational electrodynamics approach, and use it to study two novel nanophotonics concepts within the context of fluctuation-induced phenomena: low-dimensional systems and spin-orbit interactions of light. The investigation will be organized around four research thrusts addressing the following specific goals: (1) explore the limits of the fluctuational electrodynamics approach and implement the necessary improvements to describe fluctuation-induced phenomena involving low-dimensional nanostructures and spin-orbit interactions of light, (2) investigate the Casimir torque between different rotating nanostructures as a mechanism to transfer angular momentum in the nanoscale, paying special attention to low-dimensional systems, and exploit the spin-orbit interactions of light to achieve unidirectional transfer of angular momentum, (3) investigate the Casimir forces acting on low-dimensional nanostructures and their interplay with other relevant interactions, such as electrostatic forces, and (4) study the thermalization of ensembles of nanostructures mediated by radiative heat transfer and explore low-dimensional structures and spin-orbit interactions of light as a path to achieve full temporal control over the transfer of energy at the nanoscale.The research supported by this award can, in the long run, help in developing novel approaches for manipulating nanoscale objects, including biologically relevant structures. The results on energy transfer can have an impact on the improvement of thermal devices and heat management strategies in nanoelectronics. This award also supports educational and outreach activities aimed at improving the recruitment and retention of students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), with a special emphasis on first-generation and low-income students from underrepresented minorities. The PI and his team will implement a range of activities targeting students, from middle school to the graduate level, which aim to generate and foster interest in STEM disciplines, preserve that interest, and mold it into essential skills and experience.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.

非技术总结纳米级的光与物质之间的相互作用可能与我们的日常宏观体验大不相同。当材料结构的尺寸或将它们分开的空间达到纳米的范围时，光和物质的量子性质就会出现并引起新现象。该奖项支持旨在研究各种新现象的理论研究，这些现象涉及纳米级对象之间动量和能量在两个新型概念的背景下转移的纳米级概念，这些概念最近在纳米素化学领域中出现：具有原子厚度和光的旋转轨道相互作用的结构。在共同的理论框架内对这些现象的调查将使PI及其团队能够为纳米级的动量和能量的非接触转移而建立新的范式的基础。从长远来看，该奖项支持的研究可以帮助开发操纵纳米级对象的新方法，包括生物学相关的结构。能源转移的结果可能会影响纳米电子学中热设备和热管理策略的改善。该奖项还支持旨在改善科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）学生招募和保留学生的教育和外展活动，并特别强调了来自代表性不足的少数群体的第一代学生和低收入学生。 PI和他的团队将实施针对学生的一系列活动，从中学到研究生层面，旨在产生和促进对STEM学科的兴趣，保留这种兴趣，并将其塑造成基本的技能和经验。技术摘要这一奖项支持理论研究，其总体目标是研究通过电磁场的量子和热波动介导的纳米级动量和能量的传递。为此，PI和他的团队将通过调查和克服波动电动力学方法的限制来实现强大的理论框架，并使用它在波动引起的现象中研究两个新型的纳米光子学概念：低维系统和光线相互作用。该调查将在四个研究的推力周围组织，以解决以下特定目标：（1）探索波动电动力学方法的局限性，并实施必要的改进，以描述波动引起的现象，涉及低维纳米结构和涉及光的旋转轨道相互作用的低维型轨道相互作用，（2）调查旋转nanos的转移机构，以进行旋转的脉动转移量，以旋转nanos的转移机制，作为旋转nanos构造的机制，到低维系统，并利用光的自旋轨道相互作用以实现角动量的单向转移，（3）调查作用于低维纳米结构上的Casimir力及其与其他相关相互作用的相互作用，例如静电力和​​（例如），以及（4）研究nan构造的隔离式和nan的热量，并研究了nan的热量，并且从纳米级的能量转移的完全时间控制的途径。从长远来看，该奖项支持的研究可以帮助开发操纵纳米级对象的新方法，包括生物学相关的结构。能源转移的结果可能会影响纳米电子学中热设备和热管理策略的改善。该奖项还支持旨在改善科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）学生招募和保留学生的教育和外展活动，并特别强调了来自代表性不足的少数群体的第一代学生和低收入学生。 PI和他的团队将实施针对学生的一系列活动，从中学到研究生水平，旨在引起对STEM学科的兴趣，保留兴趣并将其塑造成基本的技能和经验。这项奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过评估该基金会的智力功能和广泛的影响来审查NSF的法定任务，并被视为值得通过评估的支持。