A historical overview of nano-optics:From near-field optics to plasmonics

Nano-optics is an emergent research field in physics that appeared in the 1980s,which deals with light–matter optical interactions at the nanometer scale.In early studies of nano-optics,the main concern focus is to obtain higher optical resolution over the diffraction limit.The researches of near-field imaging and spectroscopy based on scanning near-field optical microscopy(SNOM)are developed.The exploration of improving SNOM probe for near-field detection leads to the emergence of surface plasmons.In the sense of resolution and wider application,there has been a significant transition from seeking higher resolution microscopy to plasmonic near-field modulations in the nano-optics community during the nano-optic development.Nowadays,studies of nano-optics prefer the investigation of plasmonics in different material systems.In this article,the history of the development of near-field optics is briefly reviewed.The difficulties of conventional SNOM to achieve higher resolution are discussed.As an alternative solution,surface plasmons have shown the advantages of higher resolution,wider application,and flexible nano-optical modulation for new devices.The typical studies in different periods are introduced and characteristics of nano-optics in each stage are analyzed.In this way,the evolution progress from near-field optics to plasmonics of nano-optics research is presented.The future development of nano-optics is discussed then.

THz plasmonics and electronics in germanene nanostrips

Germanene nanostrips(GeNSs)have garnered significant attention in modern semiconductor technology due to their exceptional physical characteristics,positioning them as promising candidates for a wide range of applications.GeNSs exhibit a two-dimensional(buckled)honeycomb-like lattice,which is similar to germanene but with controllable bandgaps.The modeling of GeNSs is essential for developing appropriate synthesis methods as it enables understanding and controlling the growth process of these systems.Indeed,one can adjust the strip width,which in turn can tune the bandgap and plasmonic response of the material to meet specific device requirements.In this study,the objective is to investigate the electronic behav-ior and THz plasmon features of GeNSs(≥100 nm wide).A semi-analytical model based on the charge-carrier velocity of free-standing germanene is utilized for this purpose.The charge-carrier velocity of freestanding germanene is determined through the GW approximation(V_(F)=0.702×10^(6)m·s^(−1)).Within the width range of 100 to 500 nm,GeNSs exhibit narrow bandgaps,typi-cally measuring only a few meV.Specifically,upon analysis,it was found that the bandgaps of the investigated GeNSs ranged between 29 and 6 meV.As well,these nanostrips exhibit√q-like plasmon dispersions,with their connected plasmonic fre-quency(≤30 THz)capable of being manipulated by varying parameters such as strip width,excitation plasmon angle,and sam-ple quality.These manipulations can lead to frequency variations,either increasing or decreasing,as well as shifts towards larger momentum values.The outcomes of our study serve as a foundational motivation for future experiments,and further con-firmation is needed to validate the reported results.

Metamaterials and plasmonics: From nanoparticles to nanoantenna arrays, metasurfaces, and metamaterials

The rise of plasmonic metamaterials in recent years has unveiled the possibility of revolutionizing the entire field of optics and photonics, challenging well-established technological limitations and paving the way to innovations at an unprecedented level To capitalize the disruptive potential of this rising field of science and technology, it is important to be able to combine the richness of optical phenomena enabled by nanoplasmonics in order to realize metamaterial components, devices, and systems of increasing complexity. Here, we review a few recent research directions in the field of plasmonic metamaterials, which may foster further advancements in this research area. We will discuss the anomalous scattering features enabled by plasmonic nanoparticles and nanoclusters, and show how they may represent the fundamental building blocks of complex nanophotonic architectures. Building on these concepts, advanced components can be designed and operated, such as optical nanoantennas and nanoantenna arrays, which, in turn, may be at the basis of metasurface devices and complex systems. Following this path, from basic phenomena to advanced functionalities, the field of plasmonic metamaterials offers the promise of an important scientific and technological impact, with applications spanning from medical diagnostics to clean energy and information processing.

Recent advancements in surface plasmon polaritons-plasmonics subwavelength structures in microwave and terahertz regimes

This paper presents a review of recent investigational studies on exciting Surface Plasmon Polaritous (SPPs)in MicroWave (MW)and TeraHertZ (THz)regimes by using subwavelength corrugated patterns on conductive or metal surfaces.This article also describes SPP Microstrip (MS)structures at microwave and terahertz frequencies, and compares their significance with that of conventional MS Transmission Lines (TL),in order to tackle the key challenges of high gain,bandwidth size,compactness,TL losses,and signal integrity in high-end electronic de- vices.Because they have subwavelength properties,surface plasmon polaritous are gaining attention for their improved performance and ability for miniaturization in high-speed dense circuits.They possess comparably minuscule wavelength compared to incident light (photons).Consequently,they can demonstrate stronger spatial confinement and higher local field intensity at optical frequencies.In addition to engineering spoof SPP waveguides,which are created by engraving grooves and slits on metal surfaces to allow operation on at low frequencies (microwave and terahertz),semiconductors with smaller permittivity values and thus lower free charge carrier concentration have been demonstrated as a potential candidate in plasmonic devices.If necessary,further tuning of semiconductor-based SPP structures is aided by controlling the charge carrier concentration through doping,or by external stimuli such as optical illumination or thermal excitation of charge carriers from valence to conduction bands.This article conclusively covers previously elucidated perspectives on manipulating SSPPs in the MW and THz ranges,and emphasizes how these could steer next-generation plasmonic devices.

Spin plasmonics in magnetism

We discuss a new class of phenomena that we call ＂spin plasmonics＂. It is motivated by three different recent trends of physics research： （i） spintronics, （ii） plasmonics, and （iii） topological properties as is exemplified by the quantized Hall effect. This involves the physics of the ＂magnetic surface plasmon＂ （MSP） which provides for an analog of the edge states discussed in the quantized Hall effect. Their properties can be easily tuned by an external magnetic field. They are coupled to the electromagnetic field and can be injected into metallic structures and induce spin and charge currents and hold the promise of miniturization of nonreciprocal devices.

Acoustic plasmonics of Au grating/Bi2Se3 thin film/sapphire hybrid structures

The surface plasmon polaritons of the topological insulator Bi2Se3 can be excited by using etched grating or grave structures to compensate the wave vector mismatch of the incident photon and plasmon. Here, we demonstrate novel gold grating/Bi2Se3 thin film/sapphire hybrid structures, which allow the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons propagating through nondestructive Bi2Se3 thin film with the help of gold diffractive gratings. Utilizing periodic Au surface structures,the momentum can be matched and the normal-incidence infrared reflectance spectra exhibit pronounced dips. When the width of the gold grating W(with a periodicity 2 W) increases from 400 nm to 1500 nm, the resonant frequencies are tuned from about 7000 cm-1 to 2500 cm-1. In contrast to the expected ■ dispersion for both massive and massless fermions,where q ~π/W is the wave vector, we observe a sound-like linear dispersion even at room temperature. This surface plasmon polaritons with linear dispersion are attributed to the unique noninvasive fabrication method and high mobility of topological surface electrons. This novel structure provides a promising application of Dirac plasmonics.

Geometrical condition for observing Talbot effect in plasmonics infinite metallic groove arrays

The plasmonics Talbot effect in metallic layer with infinite periodic grooves is presented in this study. Numerical approach based on the finite element method is employed to verify the derived Talbot carpet on the non-illumination side. The groove depth is less than the metallic layer thickness; however, for specific conditions, surface plasmons polaritons(SPPs)can penetrate through grooves, propagate under the metallic layer, and form Talbot revivals. The geometrical parameters are specified via groove width, gap size, period, and wavelength, and their proper values are determined by introducing two opening ratio parameters. To quantitatively compare different Talbot carpets, we introduce new parameters such as R-square that characterizes the periodicity of Talbot images. The higher the R-square of a carpet, the more coincident with non-paraxial approximation the Talbot distance becomes. We believe that our results can help to understand the nature of SPPs and also contribute to exploring this phenomenon in Talbot-image-based applications, including imaging, optical systems, and measurements.

From plasma to plasmonics:toward sustainable and clean water production through membranes

The increasing demand for potable water is never-ending.Freshwater resources are scarce and stress is accumulating on other alternatives.Therefore,new technologies and novel optimization methods are developed for the existing processes.Membrane-based processes are among the most efficient methods for water treatment.Yet,membranes suffer from severe operational problems,namely fouling and temperature polarization.These effects can harm the membrane’s permeability,permeate recovery,and lifetime.To mitigate such effects,membranes can be treated through two techniques:plasma treatment(a surface modification technique),and treatment through the use of plasmonic materials(surface and bulk modification).This article showcases plasma-and plasmonic-based treatments in the context of water desalination/purification.It aims to offer a comprehensive review of the current developments in membrane-based water treatment technologies along with suggested directions to enhance its overall efficiency through careful selection of material and system design.Moreover,basic guidelines and strategies are outlined on the different membrane modification techniques to evaluate its prerequisites.Besides,we discuss the challenges and future developments about these membrane modification methods.

Plasmonics for solid-state lighting: enhanced excitation and directional emission of highly efficient light sources

Light sources based on reliable and energy-efficient light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are instrumental in the development of solid-statelighting (SSL). Most research efforts in SSL have focused on improving both the intrinsic quantum efficiency (QE) and the stability oflight emitters. For this reason, it is broadly accepted that with the advent of highly efficient (QE close to 1) and stable emitters, thefundamental research phase of SSL is coming to an end. In this study, we demonstrate a very large improvement in SSL emission (above70-fold directional enhancement for p-polarized emission and 60-fold enhancement for unpolarized emission) using nanophotonicstructures. This is attained by coupling emitters with very high QE to collective plasmonic resonances in periodic arrays of aluminumnanoantennas. Our results open a new path for fundamental and applied research in SSL in which plasmonic nanostructures are able tomold the spectral and angular distribution of the emission with unprecedented precision.

Surface-modified Ag@Ru-P25 for photocatalytic CO_(2) conversion with high selectivity over CH_(4) formation at the solid–gas interface

Systematic optimization of the photocatalyst and investigation of the role of each component is important to maximizing catalytic activity and comprehending the photocatalytic conversion of CO_(2) reduction to solar fuels.A surface-modified Ag@Ru-P25 photocatalyst with H_(2)O_(2) treatment was designed in this study to convert CO_(2) and H_(2)O vapor into highly selective CH4.Ru doping followed by Ag nanoparticles(NPs)cocatalyst deposition on P25(TiO_(2))enhances visible light absorption and charge separation,whereas H_(2)O_(2) treatment modifies the surface of the photocatalyst with hydroxyl(–OH)groups and promotes CO_(2) adsorption.High-resonance transmission electron microscopy,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,X-ray absorption near-edge structure,and extended X-ray absorption fine structure techniques were used to analyze the surface and chemical composition of the photocatalyst,while thermogravimetric analysis,CO_(2) adsorption isotherm,and temperature programmed desorption study were performed to examine the significance of H_(2)O_(2) treatment in increasing CO_(2) reduction activity.The optimized Ag1.0@Ru1.0-P25 photocatalyst performed excellent CO_(2) reduction activity into CO,CH4,and C2H6 with a~95%selectivity of CH4,where the activity was~135 times higher than that of pristine TiO_(2)(P25).For the first time,this work explored the effect of H_(2)O_(2) treatment on the photocatalyst that dramatically increases CO_(2) reduction activity.

Chiral plasmonics and enhanced chiral light-matter interactions

Chirality, which describes the broken mirror symmetry in geometric structures, exists macroscopically in our daily life as well as microscopically down to molecular levels. Correspondingly, chiral molecules interact differently with circularly polarized light exhibiting opposite handedness(left-handed and right-handed). However, the interaction between chiral molecules and chiral light is very weak. In contrast, artificial chiral plasmonic structures can generate "super-chiral" plasmonic near-field, leading to enhanced chiral light-matter(or chiroptical) interactions. The "super-chiral" near-field presents different amplitude and phase under opposite handedness incidence, which can be utilized to engineer linear and nonlinear chiroptical interactions. Specifically,in the interaction between quantum emitters and chiral plasmonic structures, the chiral hot spots can favour the emission with a specific handedness. This article reviews the state-of-the-art research on the design, fabrication and chiroptical response of different chiral plasmonic nanostructures or metasurfaces. This review also discusses enhanced chiral light-matter interactions that are essential for applications like chirality sensing, chiral selective light emitting and harvesting. In the final part, the review ends with a perspective on future directions of chiral plasmonics.

Double-layer graphene for enhanced tunable infrared plasmonics

Graphene is emerging as a promising material for photonic applications owing to its unique optoelectronic properties.Graphene supports tunable,long-lived and extremely confined plasmons that have great potential for applications such as biosensing and optical communications.However,in order to excite plasmonic resonances in graphene,this material requires a high doping level,which is challenging to achieve without degrading carrier mobility and stability.Here,we demonstrate that the infrared plasmonic response of a graphene multilayer stack is analogous to that of a highly doped single layer of graphene,preserving mobility and supporting plasmonic resonances with higher oscillator strength than previously explored single-layer devices.Particularly,we find that the optically equivalent carrier density in multilayer graphene is larger than the sum of those in the individual layers.Furthermore,electrostatic biasing in multilayer graphene is enhanced with respect to single layer due to the redistribution of carriers over different layers,thus extending the spectral tuning range of the plasmonic structure.The superior effective doping and improved tunability of multilayer graphene stacks should enable a plethora of future infrared plasmonic devices with high optical performance and wide tunability.

Silicon hybrid nanoplasmonics for ultra-dense photonic integration

Recently hybrid plasmonic waveguides have been becoming very attractive as a promising candidate to realize next-generation ultra-dense photonic integrated circuits because of the ability to achieve nano-scale confinement of light and relatively long propagation distance. Furthermore, hybrid plasmonic waveguides also offer a platform to merge photonics and electronics so that one can realize ultra-small optoelectronic integrated circuits （OEICs） for high-speed signal generation, processing as well as detection. In this paper, we gave a review for the progresses on various hybrid plasmonic wave- guides as well as ultrasmall functionality devices developed recently.

Oblique angle deposition and its applications in plasmonics

Plasmonics based on localized surface plasmon resonance （LSPR） has found many exciting appli- cations recently. Those applications usually require a good morphological and structural control of metallic nanostructures. Oblique angle deposition （OAD） has been demonstrated as a powerful technique for various plasmonic applications due to its advantages in controlling the size, shape, and composition of metallic nanostructures. In this review, we focus on the fabrication of metallic nanostructures by OAD and their applications in plasmonics. After a brief introduction to OAD technique, recent progress of applying OAD in fabricating noble metallic nanostructures for LSPR sensing, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, surface-enhanced infrared absorption, metal-enhanced fluorescence, and metamaterials, and their corresponding properties are reviewed. The future requirements for OAD plasmonics applications are also discussed.

Electrochemically driven dynamic plasmonics

Dynamic plasmonics with the real-time active control capability of plasmonic resonances attracts much interest in the communities of physics,chemistry,and material science.Among versatile reconfigurable strategies for dynamic plasmonics,electrochemically driven strategies have garnered most of the attention.We summarize three primary strategies to enable electrochemically dynamic plasmonics,including structural transformation,carrier-density modulation,and electrochemically active surrounding-media manipulation.The reconfigurable microstructures,optical properties,and underlying physical mechanisms are discussed in detail.We also summarize the most promising applications of dynamic plasmonics,including smart windows,structural color displays,and chemical sensors.We suggest more research efforts toward the widespread applications of dynamic plasmonics.

Plasmonics refractive index sensor based on tunable ultra-sharp Fano resonance

In this paper, a plasmonics refractive index sensor with the semiring-stub system coupled to a bus waveguide is proposed. The structure can achieve wavelength band tunable and ultra-sharp Fano resonance. The coupling mechanism between the bright mode and dark mode is investigated in detail, and apparent plasmon induced transparency(PIT) is realized on the resonance wavelength. The full width at half maximum(FWHM) of the resonant wavelength is modulated by adjusting the coupled distance. The sensitivity and figure of merit(FOM) of the proposed sensor can reach up to 600 nm/RIU and 120 on the visible region, respectively, and this performance can be helpful for designing the photonic integrated circuit and optical communication, in addition, it can be applied for bio-sensing.

Electron microscopy methods for space-, energy-, and time-resolved plasmonics

Nanoscale plasmonic systems combine the advantages of optical frequencies with those of small spatial scales, circumventing the limitations of conventional photonic systems by exploiting the strong field confinement of surface plasmons. As a result of this miniaturization to the nanoscale, electron microscopy techniques are the natural investigative methods of choice. Recent years have seen the development of a number of electron microscopy techniques that combine the use of electrons and photons to enable unprecedented views of surface plasmons in terms of combined spatial, energy, and time resolution. This review aims to provide a comparative survey of these different approaches from an experimental viewpoint by outlining their respective experimental domains of suitability and highlighting their complementary strengths and limitations as applied to plasmonics in particular.

Valley filtering and valley-polarized collective modes in bulk graphene monolayers

The presence of two sublattices in hexagonal graphene brings two energetically degenerate extremes in the conduction and valence bands, which are identified by the valley quantum number. Recently, this valley degree of freedom has been suggested to encode and process information, which develops a new carbon-based electronics named graphene valleytronics. In this topical review, we present and discuss valley-related transport properties in bulk graphene monolayers,which are due to strain-induced pseudomagnetic fields and associated vector potential, sublattice-stagger potential, and the valley-Zeeman effect. These valley-related interactions can be utilized to obtain valley filtering, valley spatial separation, valley-resolved guiding modes, and valley-polarized collective modes such as edge or surface plasmons. The present challenges and the perspectives on graphene valleytronics are also provided in this review.

Tunable artificial plasmonic nanolaser with wide spectrum emission operating at room temperature

With the rapid development of information and communication technology,a key objective in the field of optoelectronic integrated devices is to reduce the nano-laser size and energy consumption.Photonics nanolasers are unable to exceed the diffraction limit and typically exhibit low modulation rates of several GHz.In contrast,plasmonic nanolaser utilizes highly confined surface plasmon polariton(SPP)mode that can exceed diffraction limit and their strong Purcell effect can accelerate the modulation rates to several THz.Herein,we propose a parametrically tunable artificial plasmonic nanolasers based on metal–insulator–semiconductor–insulator–metal(MISIM)structure,which demonstrates its ability to compress the mode field volume toλ/14.As the pump power increases,the proposed artificial plasmonic nanolaser exhibits 20-nm-wide output spectrum.Additionally,we investigate the effects of various cavity parameters on the nanolaser’s output threshold,offering potentials for realizing low-threshold artificial plasmonic nanolasers.Moreover,we observe a blue shift in the center wavelength of the nanolaser output with thinner gain layer thickness,predominantly attributed to the increased exciton–photon coupling strength.Our work brings inspiration to several areas,including spaser-based interconnects,nano-LEDs,spontaneous emission control,miniaturization of photon condensates,eigenmode engineering of plasmonic nanolasers,and optimal design driven by artificial intelligence(AI).

Nitrogen-doped microporous graphite-enhanced copper plasmonic effect for solar evaporation

Water scarcity is a global challenge,and solar evaporation technology offers a promising and eco-friendly solution for freshwater production.Photothermal conversion materials(PCMs)are crucial for solar evaporation.Improving photothermal conversion efficiency and reducing water evaporation enthalpy are the two key strategies for the designing of PCMs.The desired PCMs that combine both of these properties remain a challenging task,even with the latest advancements in the field.Herein,we developed copper nanoparticles(NPs)with different conjugated nitrogen-doped microporous carbon coatings(Cu@C–N)as PCMs.The microporous carbon enveloping layer provides a highly efficient pathway for water transport and a nanoconfined environment that protects Cu NPs and facilitates the evaporation of water clusters,reducing the enthalpy of water evaporation.Meanwhile,the conjugated nitrogen nodes form strong metal-organic coordination bonds with the surface of copper NPs,acting as an energy bridge to achieve rapid energy transfer and provide high solar-to-vapor conversion efficiency.The Cu@C–N exhibited up to 89.4%solar-to-vapor conversion efficiency and an evaporation rate of 1.94 kgm^(−2) h^(−1) under one sun irradiation,outperforming conventional PCMs,including carbon-based materials and semiconductor materials.These findings offer an efficient design scheme for high-performance PCMs essential for solar evaporators to address global water scarcity.