Title:  Plasmonic Nanostructures for Nanoscale Light-matter Interaction

Committee: 

Dr. Adibi, Advisor        

Dr. Klein, Chair

Dr. El-Sayed

Abstract:

The objective of this proposal is to study the light-matter interaction at nanoscale in the presence of plasmonic nanostructures, theoretically and experimentally. Principles of nano-optics have been applied in designing a range of nano-devices for molecular sensing, nonlinear optics and plasmonically enhanced generation of light. This theoretical and experimental investigation is further extended by studying the effect of plasmon tunneling in sub-nanometer distances and light-matter interaction in atomically thin semiconductors. More specifically, chemically synthesized plasmonic nanocube dimers and chains have been studies for ultrasensitive molecular sensing using the wavelength shift of their collective localized surface plasmon resonance. The effect of inter-particle spacing and relative orientation of the nanocubes in the chains is also analyzed. The band-edge lattice plasmon waves in lithographically fabricated plasmonic nanoantenna arrays have been studied and utilized for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, and superchiral spectroscopy at the molecular level using a novel three-dimensional chiral metamaterial is demonstrated. Furthermore, surface-enhanced second harmonic generation in coupled plasmonic nanostructures that support sharp Fano-type resonance features, is studied theoretically and experimentally. Finally, a plasmonic nanolaser incorporating a plasmonic nanocavity and a monolayer of Transition Metal Dichalcogenide is designed and studied.