Anton E. Afanasiev

Giant optical nonlinearity of a single plasmonic nanostructure

We realize giant optical nonlinearity of a single plasmonic nanostructure which we call a split hole resonator (SHR). The SHR is the marriage of two basic elements of nanoplasmonics, a nanohole and a nanorod. A peak field intensity in the SHR occurs at the single tip of the nanorod inside the nanohole. The peak field is much stronger than those of the nanorod and nanohole, because the SHR field involves contributions from the following two field-enhancement mechanisms: (1) the excitation of surface plasmon resonances and (2) the lightning-rod effect. Here, we demonstrate the use of the SHR as a highly efficient nonlinear optical element for: (i) the generation of the third harmonic from a single SHR; (ii) the excitation of intense multiphoton luminescence from a single SHR.

Single nanohole and photonic crystal: wavelength selective enhanced transmission of light

For the first time we have demonstrated an approach to control transmission of light through a single nanohole with the use of photon crystal microcavity. By use of the approach 28-fold enhanced transmission of light through a single nanohole in Au film has been experimentally demonstrated. The approach has the following advantages: (1) it enables to considerably increase transmission of light through a single nanohole, (2) the increase in transmission is unaffected by the hole diameter, (3) the transmission of nanohole is selective in frequency, the width of the resonance ~λ/90, (4) no auxiliary structures are necessary on the surface of the Au film (extra nanoholes, grooves, etc.).

Single nanohole and photoluminescence: nanolocalized and wavelength tunable light source

We are first to demonstrate a broadband, nanometer-scale, and background-free light source that is based on photoluminescence of a single nanohole in an Au film. We show that a nanohole with a diameter of as small as 20 nm in a 200-nm thick Au film can be used for this purpose. Further development of the localized source that involves the use of a photon-crystal microcavity with a Q-factor of 100 makes it possible to create a 30-fold enhanced, narrowband tunable light source and with a narrow directivity of the radiation.

Colloidal particle lens arrays-assisted nano-patterning by harmonics of a femtosecond laser

We consider nanopatterning of dielectric substrates by harmonics of single powerful femtosecond pulses from a Ti:Sapphire laser. The nanopatterning is mediated by closely packed monolayers of polystyrene microspheres that act as microlenses at the surface. Observed modification of the material proceeds via ionization. By our theory, the second harmonic is more effective in multi-photon ionization and is better focused than the fundamental frequency which is effective in multiplying of the amount of free electrons via impact ionization. Experiments show that conversion of a part of the pulse energy into the second harmonic decreases the modification threshold and improves the localization of the structures. Optimization of the time offset between the harmonics could further improve the efficiency and quality of nanostructuring.

Split hole resonator: A nanoscale UV light source

Due to a strong light absorption by metals, it is believed that plasmonic nanostructures cannot be used for generating intensive radiation harmonics in the UV spectral range. We present results of investigation of the nonlinear optical interaction of laser radiation with a single gold nanostructure in the geometry of the Split-Hole Resonator (SHR) [1, 2] under the-state-of-the-art experimental realized conditions: (1) the laser pulse duration is ultimately short (two cycles of the laser pulse wave) to maximally reduce the thermal effects on the nanostructure; (2) the laser light intensity is ultimately high and close to the air ionization threshold; (3) the geometry of the nanostructure is optimal ensuring a record-high efficiency of the nonlinear optical interaction; and (4) the SHR nanostructure is formed in a single crystal gold nanofilm that is flat on the atomic level. Several multipole plasmon resonances can simultaneously be excited in the SHR nanostructure. A strong nonlinear optical interaction at the frequencies of these resonances that leads to (i) the second-harmonic generation, (ii) the third harmonic generation (THG), and (iii) the light generation at mixed frequencies. The THG near field amplitude reaches 0.6% of the fundamental frequency field amplitude, which enables the creation of UV radiation sources with a record high intensity. The UV light may find many important applications including biomedical ones (such as cancer therapy).

Extremely high transmission of light through a nanohole inside a photonic crystal

The transmission of light through single nanoholes with diameters considerably smaller than the wavelength of light (smaller than λ/10) is experimentally studied. The nanoholes were made in a gold film, which is a part of a photonic crystal forming a microcavity with the quality factor Q ≈ 100. A 28-fold increase in the transmission of light through a nanohole inside the microcavity compared to transmission through a nanohole in a gold film is demonstrated. The high spectral selectivity of light transmission through a nanohole is discovered, which is characterized by two features: (i) the transmission maximum is located at the resonance wavelength of the microcavity and (ii) the peak full width at half-maximum is about λ/90.

Laser-induced quantum adsorption of atoms on a surface

A method of the quantum adsorption of atoms on a surface is proposed and experimentally implemented. The loading of atoms into a surface potential well (adsorption) occurs due to the loss of kinetic energy in the process of the inelastic collision of two laser-excited atoms. This scheme is implemented for Rb atoms adsorbed on the surface of a YAG crystal. The possibility of producing microstructures of arbitrary shape that consist of atoms localized on the dielectric surface is also demonstrated.

Giant enhancement of two photon induced luminescence in metal nanostructure.

We experimentally demonstrate a drastic increase in the rate of radiative process of a nanoscale physical system with implementation of the three physical effects: (1) the size effect, (2) plasmon resonance and (3) the optical Tamm state. As an example of a nanoscale physical system, we choose a single nanohole in Au film when the nanohole is embedded in a photonic crystal of a specific type that maintains an optical Tamm state and as a radiative process - a nonlinear photoluminescence. The efficiency of the nonlinear photoluminescence is increased by more than 10(7) times in compare to a bulk material.

Nanoscale and femtosecond optical autocorrelator based on a single plasmonic nanostructure

We demonstrated a nanoscale size, ultrafast and multiorder optical autocorrelator with a single plasmonic nanostructure for measuring the spatio-temporal dynamics of femtosecond laser light. As a nanostructure, we use a split hole resonator (SHR), which was made in an aluminium nanofilm. The Al material yields the fastest response time (100?as). The SHR nanostructure ensures a high nonlinear optical efficiency of the interaction with laser radiation, which leads to (1) the second, (2) the third harmonics generation and (3) the multiphoton luminescence, which, in turn, are used to perform multi-order autocorrelation measurements. The nano-sized SHR makes it possible to conduct autocorrelation measurements (i) with a subwavelength spatial resolution and (ii) with no significant influence on the duration of the laser pulse. The time response realized by the SHR nanostructure is about 10?fs.

van der Waals interaction of an atom with the internal surface of a hollow submicrometer-size cylinder

We analyze the van der Waals interaction of an atom with the internal surface of a metal or dielectric submicrometer-sized cylinder and derive closed analytical equations for the van der Waals surface potential and forceintheelectrostaticapproximation.WeshowthatforaconcavecylindricalsurfacethevanderWaalspotential energy can be up to four times larger than for a flat surface. This result is qualitatively explained by a reduction in the effective distance between the atom and the concave surface compared to that for a flat surface. We also evaluate the shape of an atomic beam propagating inside a hollow dielectric submicrometer-sized cylinder and we propose a scheme that will enable a precise measurement of the van der Waals constant C3.