We present a detailed study on the resonant gain (RG) phenomena occurring in two nanostructures, in which the presence of dielectric singularities is used to reach a huge amplification of the emitted photons resonantly interacting with the system. The presence of gain molecules in the considered nanoresonator systems makes it possible to obtain optical features that are able to unlock several applications. Two noticeable cases have been investigated: a 1D nanoresonator based on hyperbolic metamaterials and a 3D metal/dielectric spherical multishell. The former has been designed in the framework of the effective medium theory, in order to behave as an epsilon-near-zero-and-pole metamaterial, showing extraordinary light confinement and collimation. Such a peculiarity represents the key to lead to a RG behavior, a condition in which the system is demonstrated to behave as a self-amplifying perfect lens. Very high enhancement and spectral sharpness of 1 nm of the emitted light are demonstrated by means of a transfer matrix method simulation. The latter system consists of a metal/doped-dielectric multishell. A dedicated theoretical approach has been set up to finely engineer its doubly tunable resonant nature. The RG condition has been demonstrated also in this case. Finite element method-based simulations, together with an analytical model, clarify the electric field distribution inside the multishell and suggest the opportunity to use this device as a self-enhanced loss compensated multishell, being a favorable scenario for low-threshold SPASER action. Counterintuitively, exceeding the resonant gain amount of molecules in both systems causes a significant drop in the amplitude of the resonance.

The last few years have seen a growing interest in the ability of metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) to control temperature at the nanoscale. Under a suitable optical radiation, MNPs feature an enhanced light absorption/scattering, thus turning into an ideal nano-source of heat, remotely controllable by means of light. In this framework, we report our recent efforts on modeling and characterizing the photo-thermal effects observed in gold nanoparticles (GNPs) dispersed in thermotropic Liquid Crystals (LCs). Photo-induced temperature variations in GNPs dispersed in Nematic LCs (NLCs) have been studied by implementing an ad hoc theoretical model based on the thermal heating equation applied to an anisotropic medium. Theoretical predictions have been verified by performing photo-heating experiments on a sample containing a small percentage of GNPs dispersed in NLCs. Both theory and experiments represent an important achievement in understanding the physics of heat transfer at the nanoscale, with applications ranging from photonics to nanomedicine.

No abstract

Plastic material is not easily biodegradable even after a long period, in fact a wide variety of waste materials can be utilized as inert in matrix cement. In this paper we have focused the attention on the use of plastic material particles incorporated as aggregate in concrete and we have evaluated the chemical, physical and mechanical properties

We present an experimental characterization and a comprehensive theoretical modeling of macroscopic plasmonic heat production that takes place in a single layer of small gold nanoparticles (GNPs), randomly distributed on a glass substrate, covered with different host media and acted on by a resonant radiation. We have performed a detailed experimental study of the temperature variations of three different systems, obtained by varying the density of nanoparticles. Due to the macroscopic dimension of the spot size, the used laser irradiates a huge number of nanoparticles, inducing a broad thermo-plasmonic effect that modifies the thermal conductivity of the entire system; starting from the state of art, we have implemented a simple model that enables to evaluate the resulting new thermal conductivity. We have also extended our theoretical approach to the macroscale, including an analysis of the effects predicted for different NP densities and laser spot size values, as well as for different values of the laser intensity, which can be as low as 0.05 W cm −2 . Theoretically predicted temperature variations are in excellent agreement with experimental results.

This work describes the morphological, optical and thermo-optical properties of a temperaturesensitive hydrogel poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N-isopropylmethacrylamide) (P(NIPAm-co-NIPMAm)) film containing a specific amount of gold nanorods (GNRs). The light-induced thermoplasmonic heating of GNRs is used to control the optical scattering of an initially transparent hydrogel film. A hydrated P(NIPAm-co-NIPMAm) film is optically clear at room temperature. When heated to temperatures over 37°C via light irradiation with a resonant source (λ=810nm) to the GNRs, a reversible phase transition from a swollen hydrated state to a shrunken dehydrated state occurs. This phenomenon causes a drastic and reversible change in the optical transparency from a clear to an opaque state. A significant red shift (≈30nm) of the longitudinal band can also be seen due to an increased average refractive index surrounding the GNRs. This change is in agreement with an "adhoc" theoretical model which uses a modified Gans theory for ellipsoidal nanoparticles. Morphological analysis of the composite film shows the presence of well isolated and randomly dispersed GNRs. Thermo-optical experiments demonstrated an all-optically controlled light attenuator (65% contrast ratio) which can be easily integrated in several modern optical applications such as smart windows and light-responsive optical attenuators.Received: ((will be filled in by the editorial staff))Revised: ((will be filled in by the editorial staff))

We investigate the resonant gain response in doped multishell hybrid nanoparticles made of concentric and alternated doped dielectric and metal shells. In particular, we compare the enhanced extinction properties calculated in a quasi-static approximation with accurate light scattering calculations in the T-matrix formalism. We show that, even for small hybrid particles, a difference in the calculated optoplasmonic mode yields a dramatic change in the resonant coupling with the doped molecular system. Thus, although a simple dipole approach gives a fast qualitative view of the multishell gain-assisted response, a complete light scattering framework is crucial for a quantitative investigation of these hybrid nanosystems.

Antibiotic resistance refers to when microorganisms survive and grow in the presence of specific antibiotics, a phenomenon mainly related to the indiscriminate widespread use and abuse of antibiotics. In this framework, thanks to the design and fabrication of original functional nanomaterials, nanotechnology offers a powerful weapon against several diseases such as cancer and pathogenic illness. Smart nanomaterials, such as metallic nanoparticles and semiconductor nanocrystals, enable the realization of novel drug-free medical therapies for fighting against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In the light of the latest developments, we highlight the outstanding capabilities of several nanotechnology-inspired approaches to kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Chemically functionalized silver and titanium dioxide nanoparticles have been employed for their intrinsic toxicity, which enables them to exhibit an antimicrobial activity while, in a different approach, photo-thermal properties of metallic nanoparticles have been theoretically studied and experimentally tested against several temperature sensitive (mesophilic) bacteria. We also show that it is possible to combine a highly localized targeting with a plasmonic-based heating therapy by properly functionalizing nanoparticle surfaces with covalently linked antibodies. As a perspective, the utilization of properly engineered and chemically functionalized nanomaterials opens a new roads for realizing antibiotic free treatments against pathogens and related diseases.