Giuseppe Strangi

Extreme sensitivity biosensing platform based on hyperbolic metamaterials.

Optical sensor technology offers significant opportunities in the field of medical research and clinical diagnostics, particularly for the detection of small numbers of molecules in highly diluted solutions. Several methods have been developed for this purpose, including label-free plasmonic biosensors based on metamaterials. However, the detection of lower-molecular-weight (<500 Da) biomolecules in highly diluted solutions is still a challenging issue owing to their lower polarizability. In this context, we have developed a miniaturized plasmonic biosensor platform based on a hyperbolic metamaterial that can support highly confined bulk plasmon guided modes over a broad wavelength range from visible to near infrared. By exciting these modes using a grating-coupling technique, we achieved different extreme sensitivity modes with a maximum of 30,000 nm per refractive index unit (RIU) and a record figure of merit (FOM) of 590. We report the ability of the metamaterial platform to detect ultralow-molecular-weight (244 Da) biomolecules at picomolar concentrations using a standard affinity model streptavidin-biotin.

Random lasing and weak localization of light in dye-doped nematic liquid crystals

The first observation of random laser action in a partially ordered, optically anisotropic nematic liquid crystal with long-range dielectric tensor fluctuations is reported. Above a given pump power the fluorescence curve collapses and the typical narrowing and explosion effect leads to discrete sharp peaks. The unexpected surviving of interference effects in recurrent multiple scattering provide the required optical feedback for lasing in nematics. Coherent backscattering of light waves in orientationally ordered nematic liquid crystals manifests a weak localization of light which strongly supports diffusive laser action in presence of gain medium. Intensity fluctuations of the speckle-like emission pattern indicate the typical spatio-temporal randomness of diffusive laser emission. A comparison of the laser action is reported for systems with different order degree: fully disordered semiconductor powders, self-ordered cholesterics and partially ordered nematic liquid crystals.

Negative refraction in graphene-based hyperbolic metamaterials

Here, we numerically investigate the existence of negative group refraction in graphene-based hyperbolic metamaterials (HMM) at THz frequencies. The hyperbolic dispersion of the graphene-based HMM can be tuned by varying the chemical potential and surrounding dielectric layer thickness. The negative group and positive phase indices of refraction are observed for oblique incidence at far below the critical frequency, which permits negative energy refraction and forward wavefront propagation. The highly confined bulk plasmon modes are also observed in the negative group index region that further evidence the negative refraction behaviour of the graphene-based hyperbolic metamaterials.

Dispersed and encapsulated gain medium in plasmonic nanoparticles: a multipronged approach to mitigate optical losses.

The performance of all metamaterial-based applications is significantly limited by the inherent and strong energy dissipation present in metals, especially in the visible range. In fact, these materials suffer from rather strong damping of the plasmon fields which can become obstructive for most optical and photonic applications. Therefore, eliminating losses in optical metamaterials is critical for enabling their numerous potential applications. We experimentally demonstrate that the incorporation of gain material (fluorophores) in the high-local-field areas of a metamaterial subunits (gold core/silica shell nanoparticles) makes it possible to induce resonant energy transfer processes from gain units to plasmonic nanoparticles. A comparison between gain-assisted (nanoparticle-dye dispersion) and gain-functionalized (dye encapsulated into the shell) systems is reported. Fluorescence quenching and time-resolved spectroscopy along with modification of Rayleigh scattering and transmission of a probe beam as a function of impinging energy are key evidence of the strong coupling occurring between NPs and gain medium. The multipronged approach used to compensate losses in these metal-based subunits permits one to obtain important advances in materials science and paves the way toward further promising scientific research aimed to enable the wide range of electromagnetic properties of optical metamaterials.

Experimental demonstration of surface and bulk plasmon polaritons in hypergratings

Hyperbolic metamaterials (HMMs) represent a novel class of fascinating anisotropic plasmonic materials, supporting highly confined bulk plasmon polaritons in addition to the surface plasmon polaritons. However, it is very challenging to tailor and excite those modes at optical frequencies using prism coupling technique because of the intrinsic difficulties to engineer non-traditional optical properties using artificial nanostructures and the unavailability of high refractive index prisms for matching the momentum between the incident light and the guided modes. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the excitation of both surface and bulk plasmon polaritons in a HMM through a grating coupling technique of surface plasmon excitation that makes use a hypergrating, which is a combined structure of metallic diffraction grating and HMM. Initially, we propose an optical hyperbolic metamaterial based on Au/TiO2 multilayers and confirm the hyperbolic dispersion, and the presence of high-k modes in the fabricated HMM. Reflection measurements as a function of incident angle and excitation wavelength show the existence of both surface and bulk plasmon polaritons inside the hypergrating. The proposed configuration is expected to find potential applications in bio-chemical sensors, integrated optics and optical sub-wavelength imaging.

Short pitch cholesteric electro-optical device based on periodic polymer structures

The helical flexoelectro-optic effect produces a submillisecond, temperature-independent in-plane rotation of the optical axis and is potentially interesting for the display industry. The main drawback is that it relies on a texture, the uniform lying helix (ULH), which is intrinsically unstable. We present a method based on the use of periodic polymeric microchannels to create highly ordered and stable ULH structures. Electro-optic measurements performed on a test device show a large contrast ratio between bright and dark states (better then 100:1), fast switching (200 μs), and large optical rotation (>30°).

Gain induced optical transparency in metamaterials

We demonstrate that fluorophores coupled to plasmonic nanoparticles promote resonant excitation energy transfer processes leading to low-loss building block metamaterials. Experimental observations of Rayleigh scattering enhancement, accompanied by an increase in transmission as function of the gain, clearly reveal optical loss compensation effects. Fluorescence quenching is also observed in gain assisted nanoparticles owing to the increase in nonradiative decay rate triggered by plasmonic resonances. The gain induced transparency at optical frequencies is an unambiguous consequence of loss reduction in metamaterial subunits, representing a promising step to enable a wide range of electromagnetic properties of optical metamaterials.

Large spontaneous emission rate enhancement in grating coupled hyperbolic metamaterials

Hyperbolic metamaterial (HMM), a sub-wavelength periodic artificial structure with hyperbolic dispersion, can enhance the spontaneous emission of quantum emitters. Here, we demonstrate the large spontaneous emission rate enhancement of an organic dye placed in a grating coupled hyperbolic metamaterial (GCHMM). A two-dimensional (2D) silver diffraction grating coupled with an Ag/Al2O3 HMM shows 18-fold spontaneous emission decay rate enhancement of dye molecules with respect to the same HMM without grating. The experimental results are compared with analytical models and numerical simulations, which confirm that the observed enhancement of GCHMM is due to the outcoupling of non-radiative plasmonic modes as well as strong plasmon-exciton coupling in HMM via diffracting grating.

Interface of Physics and Biology: Engineering Virus-Based Nanoparticles for Biophotonics

Virus-based nanoparticles (VNPs) have been used for a wide range of applications, spanning basic materials science and translational medicine. Their propensity to self-assemble into precise structures that offer a three-dimensional scaffold for functionalization has led to their use as optical contrast agents and related biophotonics applications. A number of fluorescently labeled platforms have been developed and their utility in optical imaging demonstrated, yet their optical properties have not been investigated in detail. In this study, two VNPs of varying architectures were compared side-by-side to determine the impact of dye density, dye localization, conjugation chemistry, and microenvironment on the optical properties of the probes. Dyes were attached to icosahedral cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) and rod-shaped tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) through a range of chemistries to target particular side chains displayed at specific locations around the virus. The fluorescence intensity and lifetime of the particles were determined, first using photochemical experiments on the benchtop, and second in imaging experiments using tissue culture experiments. The virus-based optical probes were found to be extraordinarily robust under ultrashort, pulsed laser light conditions with a significant amount of excitation energy, maintaining structural and chemical stability. The most effective fluorescence output was achieved through dye placement at optimized densities coupled to the exterior surface avoiding conjugated ring systems. Lifetime measurements indicate that fluorescence output depends not only on spacing the fluorophores, but also on dimer stacking and configurational changes leading to radiationless relaxation—and these processes are related to the conjugation chemistry and nanoparticle shape. For biological applications, the particles were also examined in tissue culture, from which it was found that the optical properties differed from those found on the benchtop due to effects from cellular processes and uptake kinetics. Data indicate that fluorescent cargos are released in the endolysosomal compartment of the cell targeted by the virus-based optical probes. These studies provide insight into the optical properties and fates of fluorescent proteinaceous imaging probes. The cellular release of cargo has implications not only for virus-based optical probes, but also for drug delivery and release systems.

Random lasing in freely suspended dye-doped nematic liquid crystals.

Random lasing in fully disordered systems having organic and inorganic nature has been the subject of extensive studies since the beginning of the past decade. The interest mainly emerges from the unexpected role played by disorder in the laser action. The disorder was considered detrimental for the optical feedback in cavity laser, until it was demonstrated that multiple-scattering materials including a gain medium act as random laser. Here, a completely new approach is reported, where freely suspended complex fluid films doped with fluorescent molecules under optical excitation generate narrowband lasing peaks. The constellation of localized modes is selected by properly choosing the gain profile. The idea to have laser action in absence of mirrors and boundaries realizes an unparalleled tunable and moldable laser source.