Shrinking light to allow forbidden transitions on the atomic scale

Rivera, Nicholas; Kaminer, Ido; Zhen, Bo; Joannopoulos, John D.; Soljačić, Marin

doi:10.1126/science.aaf6308

Cited by 220 publications

(241 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…From a practical point of view, while the maximum field enhancements are attractive, the sharp fall off of the induced field, due to the small number of electrons, may limit potential plasmonic applications. Fortunately this does lead to extremely large field gradients that could be useful in exciting higher-order multipole excitations [62,63] and nonlinear effects [64,65] …”

Section: B Field Enhancementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantum plasmonic nanoantennas

2017

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We study plasmonic excitations in the limit of few electrons, in one-atom-thick sodium chains. We compare the excitations to classical localized plasmon modes, and we find for the longitudinal mode a quantum-classical transition around 10 atoms. The transverse mode appears at much higher energies than predicted classically for all chain lengths. The electric field enhancement is also considered, which is made possible by considering the effects of electron-phonon coupling on the broadening of the electronic spectra. Large field enhancements are possible on the molecular level allowing us to consider the validity of using molecules as the ultimate small size limit of plasmonic antennas. Additionally, we consider the case of a dimer system of two sodium chains, where the gap can be considered as a picocavity, and we analyze the charge-transfer states and their dependence on the gap size as well as chain size. Our results and methods are useful for understanding and developing ultrasmall, tunable, and novel plasmonic devices that utilize quantum effects that could have applications in quantum optics, quantum metamaterials, cavity-quantum electrodynamics, and controlling chemical reactions, as well as deepening our understanding of localized plasmons in low-dimensional molecular systems.

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Section: B Field Enhancementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantum plasmonic nanoantennas

2017

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“…Polaritons provide a natural route to strongly enhance the interaction of light and matter. As such, polaritons are well suited to increase rates of 'forbidden' transitions in solids 58 , may enable efficient heat transfer at the nanoscale, and even alter chemical properties of molecules-a method dubbed polaritonic chemistry 59 .…”

Section: Nature Materials Doi: 101038/nmat5017mentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards properties on demand in quantum materials

2017

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Q uantum materials are on the ascent. This term embodies a vast portfolio of compounds and phenomena where ramifications of quantum mechanics are demonstrably real. Quantum materials are in the vanguard of contemporary physics in part because these systems afford an exceptional venue to uncover the many roles of symmetry, topology, dimensionality and strong correlations in macroscopic observables. Here we set out to explore the ways and means of creating new states of matter in quantum materials and manipulating their phases via external stimuli. Practical control of these properties is a precondition for exploiting quantum advantages in new photonic, electronic and energy technologies, a task of significant societal impact 1 . We will primarily focus on the following classes of quantum materials: transition metal oxides, Fe-and Cu-based high-T c superconductors, van der Waals semiconductors, topological insulators and Weyl semimetals, and, finally, graphene.The properties of quantum materials are anomalously sensitive to external stimuli. In these systems, interactions associated with spin, charge, lattice and orbital degrees of freedom are commonly on par with the electronic kinetic energy. A rather fragile balance between coexisting and competing ground states can be readily shifted via external stimuli, leading to a raft of quantum phases and transitions between them 2,3 . Furthermore, certain classes of driven quantum states (Fig. 1a and Box 1) are explicit products of coherent interaction between light and matter 4-6 . Alternatively, the properties of quantum materials can be pre-programmed by directly manipulating the electronic wavefunction and the attendant Berry phase that give rise to the anomalous velocity of electrons in a solid [7][8][9] . These complementary avenues of controls mean that investigations no longer need to be reduced to merely observing (in contrast, for example, to astrophysics). Instead, it is now feasible to attain, in a predictable fashion, 'properties on demand' by steering a quantum material towards a desirable ground, metastable or transient state. The past decade has witnessed an explosion in the field of quantum materials, headlined by the predictions and discoveries of novel Landau-symmetry-broken phases in correlated electron systems, topological phases in systems with strong spin-orbit coupling, and ultra-manipulable materials platforms based on two-dimensional van der Waals crystals. Discovering pathways to experimentally realize quantum phases of matter and exert control over their properties is a central goal of modern condensed-matter physics, which holds promise for a new generation of electronic/photonic devices with currently inaccessible and likely unimaginable functionalities. In this Review, we describe emerging strategies for selectively perturbing microscopic interaction parameters, which can be used to transform materials into a desired quantum state. Particular emphasis will be placed on recent successes to tailor electronic interaction parameters through th...

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“…Other types of electronic transitions, such as higher-multipole transitions that couple to electric-field gradients of light, have recently gained interest. 1,2 Moreover, it has been realized that some technologically relevant emitters, such as infrared-emitting Er 3+ in telecommunication 3,4 and red-emitting Eu 3+ in lamp phosphors, 5,6 have electronic transitions with significant magnetic-dipole (MD) character, meaning that they are mediated by the magnetic component of light. In the past few years, several theoretical studies have been performed on emission control of MD emitters in various photonic environments.…”

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confidence: 99%

Europium-Doped NaYF₄ Nanocrystals as Probes for the Electric and Magnetic Local Density of Optical States throughout the Visible Spectral Range

2016

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Absorption and emission in the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared spectral range are usually mediated by the electric-field component of light. Only some electronic transitions have significant “magnetic-dipole” character, meaning that they couple to the magnetic field of light. Nanophotonic control over magnetic-dipole emission has recently been demonstrated, and magnetic-dipole transitions have been used to probe the magnetic-field profiles of photonic structures. However, the library of available magnetic-dipole emitters is currently limited to red or infrared emitters and mostly doped solids. Here, we show that NaYF4 nanocrystals doped with Eu3+ have various electric- and magnetic-dipole emission lines throughout the visible spectral range from multiple excited states. At the same time, the colloidal nature of the nanocrystals allows easy handling. We demonstrate the use of these nanocrystals as probes for the radiative electric and magnetic local density of optical states in a planar mirror geometry. A single emission spectrum can reveal enhancement or suppression of the density of optical states at multiple frequencies simultaneously. Such nanocrystals may find application in the characterization of nanophotonic structures or as model emitters for studies into magnetic light–matter interaction at optical frequencies.

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Shrinking light to allow forbidden transitions on the atomic scale

Cited by 220 publications

References 49 publications

Quantum plasmonic nanoantennas

Quantum plasmonic nanoantennas

Towards properties on demand in quantum materials

Europium-Doped NaYF₄ Nanocrystals as Probes for the Electric and Magnetic Local Density of Optical States throughout the Visible Spectral Range

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Shrinking light to allow forbidden transitions on the atomic scale

Cited by 220 publications

References 49 publications

Quantum plasmonic nanoantennas

Quantum plasmonic nanoantennas

Towards properties on demand in quantum materials

Europium-Doped NaYF4 Nanocrystals as Probes for the Electric and Magnetic Local Density of Optical States throughout the Visible Spectral Range

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Europium-Doped NaYF₄ Nanocrystals as Probes for the Electric and Magnetic Local Density of Optical States throughout the Visible Spectral Range