Surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) are many-body delocalized quasiparticles that are created when light couples with the sea of electrons at the surface of a metal. Consequently, SPP are collective states that are simultaneously electron and electromagnetic wave. The launching of SPP is a nonlinear process that can produce nonlinear optic phenomena, such as second harmonic generation. In this presentation I will introduce the audience to gold mesostructures (see above) that have unique surface texturing consisting of nanoscale cavities or nanocavities. I will demonstrate that the nanocavities are ideal for launching and scattering SPP, where scattered SPP re-emit light. The confinement by the cavities amplifies SPP scattering, i.e., the cavities are SPP resonators. Note that the microscale geometry of the mesostructures (mesopyramids) also have a role to play. I will demonstrate that the shape and negative or positive curvature of the surfaces of the mesopyramids affects their physical optics properties. Thus, by combining the nanoscale SPP activity with the microscale optical properties, it should be possible to create an ultraflat meta-optics, in this case a metamirror. Meta-optics have the potential to revolutionize physical optics, further the evolution of optoelectronics and the integration of light and electrons on a chip for communications and sensing.

Bio: 

Dave McIlroy is a Professor of Physics at Oklahoma State University. He received his BA in Physics from the University of California-Santa Cruz and his PhD in Physics from the University of Rhode Island. His research focuses on materials development and analysis , as well as applications. His two primary areas of research are one-dimensional nanostructures, specifically, nanosprings, and nanotextured plasmonic materials.