All programmes > Nanophotonics and Plasmonics

Nanophotonics and Plasmonics (B-KUL-H0T66A)

3 ECTSEnglishFirst termCannot be taken as part of an examination contractCannot be taken as part of a credit contract
N.
Extern Université Grenoble Alpes
POC Nanowetenschappen en nanotechnologie

Aims

This lecture introduces the light-matter interaction in semiconductor microstructures and metallic nanostructures. These objects allow tailoring and localizing the field distribution and polarization even at a subwavelength scale and can be used to boost the light-matter interaction with quantum emitters (including absorption, spontaneous and stimulated emission). Amazing effects such as enhancement or inhibition of spontaneous emission, nonlinear effects down to the single photon level have been demonstated. This paves the way to new generation of optoelectronic devices like single photon sources, quantum optical gates, nanoscale optical modulators, ultrasensitive sensors, etc.

Previous knowledge

Basic courses of quantum mechanics (up to time-dependent perturbation theory and Fermi’s golden rule), Maxwell’s equations, dielectric materials, wave optics

Is included in these courses of study

Activities

3 ects. Nanophotonics and Plasmonics (B-KUL-H0T66a)

3 ECTSEnglishFormat: LectureFirst term
N.
POC Nanowetenschappen en nanotechnologie

Content

1)Basics of quantum light-matter interaction

  • Spontaneous emission (SpE) CANNOT be understood if light is described classically
  • Quantum theory of light : main results
  • SpE rate of a two-level atom in free space
  • Photon storage and confinement in a 0D cavity (definitions of Q and V for a discrete mode)
  • Introduction to basic CQED effects : strong-coupling regime, SpE rate enhancement and inhibition 

 

2)Dielectric optical microcavities

  • How to confine photons with dielectrics : Bragg reflectors, total internal reflection
  • Low-dimensionality photonic structures : planar cavities, wires, micropillars, WGM cavities, photonic crystals
  • Optical characterization
  • Short introduction to modelling tools
  • State-of-the-art values for (Q,V)

 

3)CQED with artificial atoms

  • Introduction to semiconductor quantum dots
  • Weak coupling regime : Purcell effect, SpE inhibition in photonic crystals & thin wires
  • Strong coupling regime for a single QD in a cavity

 

4)CQED-based optoelectronic devices

  • Single-mode single-photon sources
  • Microcavity lasers
  • Single-photon optical gates

 

5)Micro-cavity polaritons

  • Quantum well excitons 
  • Strong coupling of QW excitons and photons in planar cavities
  • Dynamics of polariton relaxation / polariton lasers
  • Bose-Einstein condensation of polaritons

 

6)Electrodynamics of metals

  • Application of Maxwell's equation in matter to the case of metals; relation between the conductivity and optical dielectric constant. Drude model of the conductivity and metals in real life.

 

7)Surface plasmon polaritons

  • Propagation at a metal/dielectric interface: dispersion relation and mode description. Extension to multilayer systems           

 

8)Nanostructure for coupling and guiding SPPs

  •  Review of the possible strategies for launching and guiding surface plasmon-polaritons

 

9)Localized surface plasmons

  • Using the spherical particles, the main properties of plasmonics resonances in nanostructures will be introduced (enhancement, near-field, scattering and absorption cross sections…)

 

10)Optical process exaltation by plasmons.

  • This chapter will be devoted to applications of plasmonics in sensing thank to nanoscale field localization and enhancement (SERS, PL, SHG…).

Course material

Articles and literature, slides

Evaluation

Evaluation: Nanophotonics and Plasmonics (B-KUL-H2T66a)

Type : Exam during the examination period
Description of evaluation : Written