Taming Terahertz Vacuum Fluctuations for a Novel Generation of Nanodevices

抑制太赫兹真空波动以实现新一代纳米器件

• 批准号: RGPIN-2019-06138
• 负责人: Razzari, Luca
• 金额: $ 2.48万
• 依托单位: Institut national de la recherche scientifique
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=752666
• 关键词: Taming; Terahertz; Vacuum; Fluctuations; Novel

Low-dimensional materials represent an extremely appealing solution to overcome the current limits of traditional electronic scaling, as they promise to bring miniaturization down to the level of single atomic layers. This would impact a wide range of opto- and nano-electronic technologies, at the core of a variety of devices (such as personal computers, as well as smart phones, tablets and TVs) that assist us in many aspects of our daily life. A drastic boost in the performance and energy efficiency of these new material platforms is now needed to definitively push their practical implementation. The research program described in this proposal will focus on improving the optical/electrical performance of low-dimensional systems through a completely novel approach, by acting on the very mechanism (phonon scattering - phonons being quanta of lattice vibrations) that is typically responsible for energy dissipation in solids. Unlike current efforts targeting more straightforward but often marginal material optimizations, we will engineer the electromagnetic environment where the materials operate. Indeed, we have recently demonstrated that the intrinsic phonon response of nanomaterials can be modified using properly tailored terahertz nanoplasmonic resonators. This can be achieved without the need of any direct terahertz illumination, by solely exploiting the high "vacuum" electric field associated with terahertz "quantum vacuum fluctuations" in such resonators. The proposed research will address the design and realization of novel nanophotonic architectures for the selective manipulation of the optical phonon response of reduced-dimensionality materials. Devices to be pursued in the mid- to long-term will include advanced LEDs and nanoelectronic circuits, as well as `on chip' terahertz sensor and terahertz data communication systems. In the short-term, activities will be conducted around four inter-related research tracks, exploiting phonon resonance reshaping to develop: (i) miniaturized sources of terahertz radiation that do not require complex optical pumping stations to operate; (ii) schemes for enhancing terahertz nonlinearities at the nanoscale; plasmonic nano-architectures for boosting (iii) optical light emission and (iv) charge transport in two-dimensional materials. The program will ultimately provide general, well-founded guidelines on when and how terahertz vacuum fluctuation design solutions can offer a competitive advantage in obtaining high-performing systems. It can thus pave the way for the development of new advanced technologies, consistently with the immediate needs of the Canadian photonics industry, while also promoting the training of highly qualified personnel, to respond to the scientific and technological challenges of our modern society.

低维材料代表了一种极具吸引力的解决方案，可以克服传统电子缩放的当前限制，因为它们有望将小型化降低到单原子层的水平。这将影响广泛的光电和纳米电子技术，这些技术是在日常生活的许多方面为我们提供帮助的各种设备（例如个人电脑、智能手机、平板电脑和电视）的核心。现在需要大幅提高这些新材料平台的性能和能源效率，以明确推动其实际实施。该提案中描述的研究计划将侧重于通过一种全新的方法，通过作用于通常负责能量的机制（声子散射 - 声子是晶格振动的量子）来提高低维系统的光学/电学性能固体中的耗散。与当前针对更直接但通常是边际材料优化的努力不同，我们将设计材料运行的电磁环境。事实上，我们最近证明，可以使用适当定制的太赫兹纳米等离子体谐振器来修改纳米材料的固有声子响应。这可以在不需要任何直接太赫兹照明的情况下实现，仅通过利用与此类谐振器中的太赫兹“量子真空波动”相关的高“真空”电场。拟议的研究将解决新型纳米光子结构的设计和实现，用于选择性操纵降维材料的光学声子响应。中长期开发的设备将包括先进的 LED 和纳米电子电路，以及“片上”太赫兹传感器和太赫兹数据通信系统。短期内，活动将围绕四个相互关联的研究方向进行，利用声子共振重塑来开发：（i）不需要复杂的光泵站运行的小型化太赫兹辐射源； (ii) 增强纳米级太赫兹非线性的方案；用于增强二维材料中的（iii）光发射和（iv）电荷传输的等离子体纳米结构。该计划最终将提供有关太赫兹真空波动设计解决方案何时以及如何在获得高性能系统方面提供竞争优势的通用且有根据的指南。因此，它可以为新的先进技术的发展铺平道路，满足加拿大光子学行业的迫切需求，同时也促进高素质人才的培训，以应对现代社会的科技挑战。