Linear and nonlinear optical properties of hybrid metallic-dielectric plasmonic nanoantennas

Polygonal gold nanocrystal induced efficient phase transition in 2D-MoS2for enhancing photo-electrocatalytic hydrogen generation

Plasmonic nanocrystals (NCs) assisted phase transition of two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide (2D-MoS₂) unlashes numerous opportunities in the fields of energy harvesting via electrocatalysis and photoelectrocatalysis by enhancing electronic conductivity, increasing catalytic active sites, lowering Gibbs free energy for hydrogen adsorption and desorption, etc. Here, we report the synthesis of faceted gold pentagonal bi-pyramidal (Au-PBP) nanocrystals (NC) for efficient plasmon-induced phase transition (from 2 H to 1 T phase) in chemical vapor deposited 2D-MoS₂. The as-developed Au-PBP NC with the increased number of corners and edges showed an enhanced multi-modal plasmonic effect under light irradiations. The overpotential of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was reduced by 61 mV, whereas the Tafel slope decreased by 23.7 mV/dec on photoexcitation of the Au-PBP@MoS₂hybrid catalyst. The enhanced performance can be attributed to the light-induced 2H to 1 T phase transition of 2D-MoS₂, increased active sites, reduced Gibbs free energy, efficient charge separation, change in surface potential, and improved electrical conductivity of 2D-MoS₂film. From density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we obtain a significant change in the electronic properties of 2D-MoS₂(i.e. work function, surface chemical potential, and the density of states), which was primarily due to the plasmonic interactions and exchange-interactions between the Au-PBP nanocrystals and monolayer 2D-MoS₂, thereby enhancing the phase transition and improving the surface properties. This work would lay out finding assorted routes to explore more complex nanocrystals-based multipolar plasmonic NC to escalate the HER activity of 2D-MoS₂and other 2D transition metal dichalcogenides.

Multipolar scattering analysis of hybrid metal-dielectric nanostructures

We perform a systematic study showing the evolution of the multipoles along with the spectra for a hybrid metal-dielectric nanoantenna, a Si cylinder and an Ag disk stacked one on top of another, as its dimensions are varied one by one. We broaden our analysis to demonstrate the "magnetic light" at energies above 1 eV by varying the height of the Ag on the Si cylinder and below 1 eV by introducing insulating spacing between them. We also explore the appearance of the anapole state along with some exceptionally narrow spectral features by varying the radius of the Ag disk.

Gold-seeded Lithium Niobate Nanoparticles: Influence of Gold Surface Coverage on Second Harmonic Properties

Hybrid nanoparticles composed of an efficient nonlinear optical core and a gold shell can enhance and tune the nonlinear optical emission thanks to the plasmonic effect. However the influence of an incomplete gold shell, i.e., isolated gold nano-islands, is still not well studied. Here LiNbO₃ (LN) core nanoparticles of 45 nm were coated with various densities of gold nano-seeds (AuSeeds). As both LN and AuSeeds bear negative surface charge, a positively-charged polymer was first coated onto LN. The number of polymer chains per LN was evaluated at 1210 by XPS and confirmed by fluorescence titration. Then, the surface coverage percentage of AuSeeds onto LN was estimated to a maximum of 30% using ICP-AES. The addition of AuSeeds was also accompanied with surface charge reversal, the negative charge increasing with the higher amount of AuSeeds. Finally, the first hyperpolarizability decreased with the increase of AuSeeds density while depolarization values for Au-seeded LN were close to the one of bare LN, showing a predominance of the second harmonic volumic contribution.

Plasmonic tweezers: for nanoscale optical trapping and beyond

Optical tweezers and associated manipulation tools in the far field have had a major impact on scientific and engineering research by offering precise manipulation of small objects. More recently, the possibility of performing manipulation with surface plasmons has opened opportunities not feasible with conventional far-field optical methods. The use of surface plasmon techniques enables excitation of hotspots much smaller than the free-space wavelength; with this confinement, the plasmonic field facilitates trapping of various nanostructures and materials with higher precision. The successful manipulation of small particles has fostered numerous and expanding applications. In this paper, we review the principles of and developments in plasmonic tweezers techniques, including both nanostructure-assisted platforms and structureless systems. Construction methods and evaluation criteria of the techniques are presented, aiming to provide a guide for the design and optimization of the systems. The most common novel applications of plasmonic tweezers, namely, sorting and transport, sensing and imaging, and especially those in a biological context, are critically discussed. Finally, we consider the future of the development and new potential applications of this technique and discuss prospects for its impact on science.

Mode-Matching Enhancement of Second-Harmonic Generation with Plasmonic Nanopatch Antennas

Plasmonic enhancement of nonlinear optical processes confront severe limitations arising from the strong dispersion of metal susceptibilities and small interaction volumes that hamper the realization of desirable phase-matching-like conditions. Maximizing nonlinear interactions in nanoscale systems require simultaneous excitation of resonant modes that spatially and constructively overlap at all wavelengths involved in the process. Here, we present a hybrid rectangular patch antenna design for optimal second-harmonic generation (SHG) that is characterized by a non-centrosymmetric dielectric/ferroelectric material at the plasmonic hot spot. The optimization of the rectangular patch allows for the independent tuning of various modes of resonances that can be used to enhance the SHG process. We explore the angular dependence of SHG in these hybrid structures and highlight conditions necessary for the maximal SHG efficiency. Furthermore, we propose a novel configuration with a periodically poled ferroelectric layer for an orders-of-magnitude enhanced SHG at normal incidence. Such a platform may enable the development of integrated nanoscale light sources and on-chip frequency converters.

Hybrid Metal-Dielectric Metasurfaces for Refractive Index Sensing

Hybrid metal-dielectric nanostructures have recently gained prominence because they combine strong field enhancement of plasmonic metals and the several low-loss radiation channels of dielectric resonators, which are qualities pertaining to the best of both worlds. In this work, an array of such hybrid nanoantennas is successfully fabricated over a large area and utilized for bulk refractive index sensing with a sensitivity of 208 nm/RIU. Each nanoantenna combines a Si cylinder with an Al disk, separated by a SiO₂ spacer. Its optical response is analyzed in detail using the multipoles supported by its subparts and their mutual coupling. The nanoantenna is further modified experimentally with an undercut in the SiO₂ region to increase the interaction of the electric field with the background medium, which augments the sensitivity to 245 nm/RIU. A detailed multipole analysis of the hybrid nanoantenna supports our experimental findings.

Localized ZnO Growth on a Gold Nanoantenna by Plasmon-Assisted Hydrothermal Synthesis

The excitation of localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) in metal nanostructures enables subwavelength photon localization and large electric field enhancement, which can be advantageously used to strongly enhance light-matter interactions at the nanoscale. For this purpose, efficient methods for deterministically handling and arranging nanomaterials at the exact position of the localized electric field are required. In this Letter, we propose a novel method based on a hydrothermal synthesis reaction to locally and selectively synthesize zinc oxide in a plasmonic nanoantenna. We first make evident the role of LSPR for achieving efficient heating of gold nanostructures. Then, by selectively addressing one of the LSPRs of a gold antenna, we demonstrate that localized zinc oxide formation at the targeted location of the antenna can be achieved due to the nanoscale confinement of the heat production.

Directional second-harmonic generation controlled by sub-wavelength facets of an organic mesowire

Directional harmonic generation is an important property characterizing the ability of nonlinear optical antennas to diffuse the signal in a well-defined region of space. Herein, we show how sub-wavelength facets of an organic molecular mesowire crystal can be utilized to systematically vary the directionality of second-harmonic generation (SHG) in the forward-scattering geometry. We demonstrate this capability on crystalline diamonoanthraquinone (DAAQ) mesowires with sub-wavelength facets. We observed that the radial angles of the SHG emission can be tuned over a range of 130 deg. This angular variation arises due to spatially distributed nonlinear dipoles in the focal volume of the excitation as well as the geometrical cross section and facet orientation of the mesowire. Numerical simulations of the near-field excitation profile corroborate the role of the mesowire geometry in localizing the electric field. In addition to directional SHG from the mesowire, we experimentally observe optical waveguiding of the nonlinear two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF). Interestingly, we observed that for a given pump excitation, the TPEF signal is isotropic and delocalized, whereas the SHG emission is directional and localized at the location of excitation. All the observed effects have direct implications not only in active nonlinear optical antennas but also in nonlinear signal processing.

Trapping and Deposition of Dye-Molecule Nanoparticles in the Nanogap of a Plasmonic Antenna

Plasmonic nanostructures, which allow light focusing at the deep subwavelength scale, and colloidal nanoparticles with unique optoelectronic properties are nowadays fabricated with nanometer precision. However, to fully control and exploit nanoscale light-matter interactions in hybrid plasmonic-nanophotonic devices, both materials must be assembled in heterostructures with similar precision. Near-field optical forces have recently attracted much attention, as they can precisely trap and position nanoparticles at plasmonic hotspots. However, long-range attraction and the surface bonding of nanoparticles usually require other specific techniques, such as electrothermal heating and surface chemical treatments. This Letter reports on the optical trapping and deposition of dye-molecule nanoparticles in the nanogap of a gold antenna. The nanoparticles are captured by focusing a near-infrared laser beam on a targeted plasmonic antenna. This single-step deposition process requires only a few seconds under 1.4-1.8 MW·cm^-2 continuous-wave illumination and shows a polarization dependence smaller than expected. Fluorescence and electronic microscopy observations suggest that nanoparticle deposition arises from a trade-off between optical and thermal effects.

Hybrid Organic-Plasmonic Nanoantennas with Enhanced Third-Harmonic Generation

Resonantly excited plasmonic gold nanoantennas are strong sources of third-harmonic (TH) radiation. It has been shown that the response originates from large microscopic nonlinearity of the gold itself, which is enhanced by the near-field of the plasmonic nanoantenna. To further enhance this response, one can incorporate nonlinear media into the near-fields of the nanoantenna, as an additional TH source. To obtain a significant contribution from the added medium, its nonlinear susceptibility should be comparable to that of the antenna material. Many organic materials offer the necessary nonlinear susceptibility and their incorporation is possible with simple spin-coating. Furthermore, organic materials are often susceptible to photodegradation. This degradation can be used to investigate the influence of organic materials on the hybrid system. Our investigated hybrid organic plasmonic nanoantenna system consists of a gold nanorod array and poly(methyl methacrylate) as the nonlinear dielectric medium. The experiments clearly reveal two contributions to the generated TH radiation, one from the nanoantenna itself and one from the polymer. The nonlinear response of the hybrid material exceeds the response of both individual constituents and opens the path to more efficient nanoscale nonlinear light generation.

Surface plasmon resonance in gold nanoparticles: a review

In the last two decades, plasmon resonance in gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) has been the subject of intense research efforts. Plasmon physics is intriguing and its precise modelling proved to be challenging. In fact, plasmons are highly responsive to a multitude of factors, either intrinsic to the Au NPs or from the environment, and recently the need emerged for the correction of standard electromagnetic approaches with quantum effects. Applications related to plasmon absorption and scattering in Au NPs are impressively numerous, ranging from sensing to photothermal effects to cell imaging. Also, plasmon-enhanced phenomena are highly interesting for multiple purposes, including, for instance, Raman spectroscopy of nearby analytes, catalysis, or sunlight energy conversion. In addition, plasmon excitation is involved in a series of advanced physical processes such as non-linear optics, optical trapping, magneto-plasmonics, and optical activity. Here, we provide the general overview of the field and the background for appropriate modelling of the physical phenomena. Then, we report on the current state of the art and most recent applications of plasmon resonance in Au NPs.