Hai-Dong Deng

Enhancement of switching speed by laser-induced clustering of nanoparticles in magnetic fluids

The switching speed of magnetic fluids was investigated by using laser light of different power densities as well as incandescent light. It was found that the switching speed exhibited a strong dependence on incident power density and there existed an optimum value at which the fastest switching operation was achieved. In addition, it was revealed that the clustering of magnetic nanoparticles, which became resolved at large power densities, resulted in a rapid agglomeration of nanoparticles when a magnetic field was applied. It is suggested that the optical trapping force of the laser beam is responsible for the formation of clusters.

Size dependent competition between second harmonic generation and two-photon luminescence observed in gold nanoparticles

We investigate systematically the competition between the second harmonic generation (SHG) and two-photon-induced luminescence (TPL) that are simultaneously present in Au nanoparticles excited by using a femtosecond (fs) laser. For a large-sized (length ~ 800 nm, diameter ~ 200 nm) Au nanorod, the SHG appears to be much stronger than the TPL. However, the situation is completely reversed when the Au nanorod is fragmented into many Au nanoparticles by the fs laser. In sharp contrast, only the TPL is observed in small-sized (length ~ 40 nm, diameter ~ 10 nm) Au nanorods. When a number of the small-sized Au nanorods are optically trapped and fused into a large-sized Au cluster by focused fs laser light, the strong TPL is reduced while the weak SHG increases significantly. In both cases, the morphology change is characterized by scanning electron microscope. In addition, the modification of the scattering and absorption cross sections due to the morphology change is calculated by using the discrete dipole approximation method. It is revealed that SHG is dominant in the case when the scattering is much larger than the absorption. When the absorption becomes comparable to or larger than the scattering, the TPL increases dramatically and will eventually become dominant. Since the relative strengths of scattering and absorption depend strongly on the size of the Au nanoparticles, the competition between SHG and TPL is found to be size dependent.

All-optical switching mediated by magnetic nanoparticles

We demonstrate the switching of light in the near-infrared region (1.55 microm) through the manipulation of magnetic nanoparticles in a magnetic fluid by using another light in the visible region (0.532 microm). The formation of a photonic gap is found in the magnetic fluid when a laser light or a magnetic field is applied. A shift of the photonic gap to longer wavelengths is observed with increasing laser power or magnetic field strength.

Effects of optical forces on the transmission of magnetic fluids investigated by Z-scan technique

The dependence of the transmission behavior of magnetic fluids on the incident power density of a laser beam is investigated and the conventional Z-scan technique is employed to continuously vary the optical forces induced by the laser beam. We calculate the optical forces exerted on magnetic nanoparticles and compare them with those for gold and silica nanoparticles. It is found that the optical forces for magnetic nanoparticles are comparable to those for gold nanoparticles. In addition, the calculation results show that the absorption force is dominant at low incident power densities while the gradient and scattering forces become significant at high incident power densities when the clustering of magnetic nanoparticles occurs. In Z-scan experiments, it is observed that the evolution of the Z-scan trace of a magnetic fluid with increasing incident power density cannot be explained only by the nonlinear absorption of the magnetic fluid induced by the thermal diffusion of magnetic nanoparticles. Instead,...

Role of interfering optical fields in the trapping and melting of gold nanorods and related clusters

We investigate the simultaneous trapping and melting of a large number of gold (Au) nanorods by using a single focused laser beam at 800 nm which is in resonance with the longitudinal surface plasmon resonance of Au nanorods. The trapping and melting processes were monitored by the two-photon luminescence of Au nanorods. A multi-ring-shaped pattern was observed in the steady state of the trapping process. In addition, optical trapping of clusters of Au nanorods in the orbits circling the focus was observed. The morphology of the structure after trapping and melting of Au nanorods was characterized by scanning electron microscope. It was revealed that Au nanorods were selectively melted in the trapping region. While Au nanorods distributed in the dark rings were completely melted, those located in the bright rings remain unmelted. The multi-ring-shaped pattern formed by the interference between the incident light and the scattered light plays an important role in the trapping and melting of Au nanorods.

Assembling of three-dimensional crystals by optical depletion force induced by a single focused laser beam

We propose and demonstrate a method to achieve large effective Soret coefficient in colloids by suitably mixing two different particles, e.g., silica beads and Fe3O4 nanoparticles. It is shown that the thermophoretic motion of Fe3O4 nanoparticles out of the heating region results in a large nonequlibrium depletion force for silica beads. Consequently, silica beads are driven quickly to the heating region, forming a three-dimensional crystal with few defects and dislocations. The binding of silica beads is so tight that a colloidal photonic crystal can be achieved after the complete evaporation of solvent, water. Thus, for fabrication of defect free colloidal PCs, periodic structures for molecular sieves, among others, the proposed technique could be a low cost alternative. In addition as we use biocompatible materials, this technique could be a tool for biophysics studies where the potential of large effective Soret coefficient could be useful.We proposed a method to assemble microspheres into a three-dimensional crystal by utilizing the giant nonequilibrium depletion force produced by nanoparticles. Such assembling was demonstrated in a colloid formed by suitably mixing silica microspheres and magnetic nanoparticles. The giant nonequilibrium depletion force was generated by quickly driving magnetic nanoparticles out of the focusing region of a laser light through both optical force and thermophoresis. The thermophoretic binding of silica beads is so tight that a colloidal photonic crystal can be achieved after complete evaporation of solvent. This technique could be employed for fabrication of colloidal photonic crystals and molecular sieves.

Encoding random hot spots of a volume gold nanorod assembly for ultralow energy memory

Data storage with ultrahigh density, ultralow energy, high security, and long lifetime is highly desirable in the 21st century and optical data storage is considered as the most promising way to meet the challenge of storing big data. Plasmonic coupling in regularly arranged metallic nanoparticles has demonstrated its superior properties in various applications due to the generation of hot spots. Here, the discovery of the polarization and spectrum sensitivity of random hot spots generated in a volume gold nanorod assembly is reported. It is demonstrated that the two-photon-induced absorption and two-photon-induced luminescence of the gold nanorods adjacent to such hot spots are enhanced significantly because of plasmonic coupling. The polarization, wavelength, and spatial multiplexing of the hot spots can be realized by using an ultralow energy of only a few picojoule per pulse, which is two orders of magnitude lower than the value in the state-of-the-art technology that utilizes isolated gold nanorods. The ultralow recording energy reduces the cross-talk between different recording channels and makes it possible to realize rewriting function, improving significantly both the quality and capacity of optical data storage. It is anticipated that the demonstrated technology can facilitate the development of multidimensional optical data storage for a greener future.

Efficient three-photon luminescence with strong polarization dependence from a scintillating silicate glass co-doped with Gd3+ and Tb3+.

Efficient three-photon luminescence (3PL) from a scintillating silicate glass co-doped with Gd(3+) and Tb(3+) was generated by using a focused femtosecond laser beam at 800 nm. Four emission bands centered at 496, 541, 583, and 620 nm were identified as the electronic transitions between the energy levels of Tb(3+) followed by three-photon absorption (3PA) in Gd(3+) and Tb(3+) and the resonant energy transfer from Gd(3+) to Tb(3+). More interestingly, a strong polarization dependence of the 3PL was observed and it is ascribed to the polarization dependent 3PA in Gd(3+) and Tb(3+) and/or the angular distribution of photogenerated electrons in the glass.

Optical trapping and manipulation of magnetic holes dispersed in a magnetic fluid

The optical trapping and manipulation of magnetic holes (MHs) dispersed in a magnetic fluid is systematically investigated. It is found that the gradient force, which tends to attract MHs to the beam center, can be completely counteracted by the repulsive force between MHs induced by a magnetic field. As a result, a depletion region is created at the laser beam spot for a sufficiently strong magnetic field. This phenomenon can be easily observed for large MHs with a diameter of 11 μm. However, it does not appear for MHs with a smaller diameter of 4.3 μm. It is revealed that the enhancement in the concentration of magnetic nanoparticles in the laser spot region as well as the clustering of these nanoparticles leads to a much stronger interaction between MHs when a magnetic field is applied. Consequently, the magnetic field strength necessary to create the depletion region is significantly reduced. We also find that the trapping behavior of MHs depends strongly on the thickness of the sample cells. For thin...

Broadband Light Harvesting Enhancement of MoS2/Graphene Bilayer Solar Cell via Metal Nanosquare Arrays-Dielectric-Metal Structure

Low absorptance of transition metal dechalcongenides has limited their potential applications in photon detection and light harvesting, which motivates the quest for new approaches to improve the absorption in these systems. Here, we demonstrate a broadband and polarization-independent metal nanosquare arrays-dielectric-metal stucture to improve the light absorption in the solar cells based on bilayer of MoS2/graphene. By performing three-dimensional electromagnetic simulations, it is revealed that the optical absorption in the monolayer MoS2 can be significantly enhanced to be over 60% in a broad wavelength range due to the combined effects of localized surface plasmonic resonance (LSPR), LSPR coupling and cavity resonance. Furthermore, the short current density of the bilayer solar cell reaches a high value of 15.7 mA/cm2, which is about 8.3 times that of the bilayer solar cell without the metal nanosquare arrays-dielectric-metal stucture structure. These results may provide useful guidance for future photovoltaics, energy conversion, and light harvesting devices.