René Lynge Eriksen

Demonstration of Magnetic Dipole Resonances of Dielectric Nanospheres in the Visible Region

Strong resonant light scattering by individual spherical Si nanoparticles is experimentally demonstrated, revealing pronounced resonances associated with the excitation of magnetic and electric modes in these nanoparticles. It is shown that the low-frequency resonance corresponds to the magnetic dipole excitation. Due to high permittivity, the magnetic dipole resonance is observed in the visible spectral range for Si nanoparticles with diameters of ∼200 nm, thereby opening a way to the realization of isotropic optical metamaterials with strong magnetic responses in the visible region.

Broadband Focusing Flat Mirrors Based on Plasmonic Gradient Metasurfaces

We demonstrate that metal-insulator-metal configurations, with the top metal layer consisting of a periodic arrangement of differently sized nanobricks, can be designed to function as broadband focusing flat mirrors. Using 50-nm-high gold nanobricks arranged in a 240-nm-period lattice on the top of a 50-nm-thick layer of silicon dioxide deposited on a continuous 100-nm-thick gold film, we realize a 17.3 × 17.3 μm(2) flat mirror that efficiently reflects (experiment: 14-27%; theory: 50-78%) and focuses a linearly polarized (along the direction of nanobrick size variation) incident beam in the plane of its polarization with the focal length, which changes from ~15 to 11 μm when tuning the light wavelength from 750 to 950 nm, respectively. Our approach can easily be extended to realize the radiation focusing in two dimensions as well as other optical functionalities by suitably controlling the phase distribution of reflected light.

Plasmonic black gold by adiabatic nanofocusing and absorption of light in ultra-sharp convex grooves

Excitation of localized and delocalized surface plasmon resonances can be used for turning excellent reflectors of visible light, such as gold and silver, into efficient absorbers, whose wavelength, polarization or angular bandwidths are however necessarily limited owing to the resonant nature of surface plasmon excitations involved. Nonresonant absorption has so far been achieved by using combined nano- and micro-structural surface modifications and with composite materials involving metal nanoparticles embedded in dielectric layers. Here we realize nonresonant light absorption in a well-defined geometry by using ultra-sharp convex metal grooves via adiabatic nanofocusing of gap surface plasmon modes excited by scattering off subwavelength-sized wedges. We demonstrate experimentally that two-dimensional arrays of sharp convex grooves in gold ensure efficient (>87%) broadband (450-850 nm) absorption of unpolarized light, reaching an average level of 96%. Efficient absorption of visible light by nanostructured metal surfaces open new exciting perspectives within plasmonics, especially for thermophotovoltaics.

Optical spectroscopy of single Si nanocylinders with magnetic and electric resonances

Resonant electromagnetic properties of nanoparticles fabricated from high-index semiconductor or dielectric materials are very promising for the realization of novel nanoantennas and metamaterials. In this paper we study optical resonances of Si nanocylinders located on a silica substrate. Multipole analysis of the experimental scattering spectra, based on the decomposed discrete dipole approximation, confirms resonant excitation of electric and magnetic dipole modes in the Si nanocylinders. Influences of light polarization and incident angle on the scattering properties of the nanocylinders are studied. It is shown that the dependence of resonant excitation of the electric and magnetic modes in the nanocylinders on incident angle and polarization of light allows controlling and manipulating the scattered light in this system. The demonstrated properties of Si nanocylinders can be used for the realization of dielectric metasurfaces with different functional optical properties.

High resolution imaging of few-layer graphene

In this work, we successfully demonstrate how imaging ellipsometry can be applied to obtain high-resolution thickness maps of few-layer graphene (FLG) samples, with the results being thoroughly validated in a comparative study using several complementary techniques: Optical reflection microscopy (ORM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning confocal Raman microscopy. The thickness map, revealing distinct terraces separated by steps corresponding to mono- and bilayers of graphene, is extracted from a pixel-to-pixel fitting of ellipsometric spectra using optical constants (n = 2.7 and k = 1.2) derived by fitting slab model calculations to averaged Ψ and Δ spectra collected in large homogenous sample areas. An analysis of reflection spectra and contrast images acquired by ORM confirm the results by quantifying the number of graphene layers and retrieving the FLG optical constants using a simple Fresnel-law-based slab model. The morphology results are further corroborated with AFM and Raman images, the l...

Plasmonic black metals by broadband light absorption in ultra-sharp convex grooves

We have recently reported broadband (450-850nm) and efficient (96% on average) light absorption on gold surfaces with arrays of ultra- sharp convex grooves via excitation and subsequent adiabatic nanofocusing and absorption of gap surface plasmon modes (Sondergaard et al 2012 Nature Commun. 3 969). Here, we significantly extend our spectroscopy investigations of one- and two-dimensional (1D and 2D) groove arrays in gold covering the wavelength range of 500-1700nm and report first results on broadband light absorption by 1D groove arrays in nickel. For 1D groove arrays (periods 250 and 350nm, groove depth 450nm) in gold, the experimental characterization as well as numerical simulations based on the surface integral equation method reveal gradually increasing reflectivity for wavelengths above 650nm reaching finally 60% at 1700nm, but with a remarkable dip around 1150-1250nm featuring only 10% reflectivity. Results indicate that the dip position can be adjusted with the precise groove geometry, a feature that could prove particularly useful for selective thermal emitters in thermophotovoltaics. Furthermore, investigations of field enhancement at the groove bottoms of 1D groove arrays in gold, mapped via

Plasmonic black metals via radiation absorption by two-dimensional arrays of ultra-sharp convex grooves

Plasmonic black surfaces formed by two-dimensional arrays of ultra-sharp convex metal grooves, in which the incident radiation is converted into gap surface plasmon polaritons (GSPPs) and subsequently absorbed (via adiabatic nanofocusing), are fabricated and investigated experimentally for gold, nickel, and palladium, using scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy, and reflection spectroscopy for their characterization. Absolute reflectivity spectra obtained for all fabricated arrays demonstrate very efficient and broadband absorption of unpolarized light exceeding the level of 95%, averaged over the investigated wavelength range of 400–985 nm. The highest averaged absorption level (~97%) is achieved with 250-nm-period arrays in palladium that also has the highest melting temperature (~1552°C), promising thereby potential applications for broadband absorption, e.g., within thermophotovoltaics. For one-dimensional arrays, GSPPs are excited only with the electric field polarized perpendicular to the groove orientation, resulting in 94–96% absorption of the appropriately polarized light for the arrays in nickel and palladium while featuring practically flat surface reflectivity spectra for the orthogonal polarization. The largest ratio (~10.7) between averaged reflectivities for orthogonal polarizations is achieved with the groove arrays in palladium, pointing thereby towards applications as broadband and low-dispersion linear polarizers operating in reflection, e.g., within ultra-fast optics.

Plasmonic black gold based broadband polarizers for ultra-short laser pulses

It has recently been demonstrated that adiabatic nanofocusing of light by gap-plasmon modes in ultra-sharp convex metal grooves can turn metallic surfaces with high reflectivity in the visible and near-infrared into excellent absorbers of light polarized perpendicular to the groove direction. Here we demonstrate that this effect can be used to design broadband linear polarizers, operating in reflection and inducing negligible dispersive stretching of ultra-short (5–10 fs) laser pulses.

Polarization-resolved two-photon luminescence microscopy of V-groove arrays

Using two-photon luminescence (TPL) microscopy and local reflection spectroscopy we investigate electromagnetic field enhancement effects from a µm-sized composition of 450-nm-deep V-grooves milled by focused ion beam in a thick gold film and assembled to feature, within the same structure, individual V-grooves as well as one- and two-dimensional 300-nm-period arrays of, respectively, parallel and crossed V-grooves. We analyze TPL signal levels obtained at different spatial locations and with different combinations of excitation and detection polarizations, discovering that the TPL emitted from the V-grooves is polarized in the direction perpendicular to that of the V-grooves. This feature implies that the TPL occurs solely in the form of (p-polarized) surface plasmon modes and originates therefore from the very bottom of V-grooves, where no photonic modes exist. Implications of the results obtained to evaluation of local field enhancements using TPL microscopy, especially when investigating extended structures exhibiting different radiation channels, are discussed.

Nanofocusing in circular sector-like nanoantennas

Gold circular sector-like nanoantennas (with a radius of 500 nm and a taper angle of 60°, 90°, and 120°) on glass are investigated in a near-infrared wavelength range (900 - 2100 nm). Amplitude- and phase-resolved near-field images of circular sector-like antenna modes at telecom wavelength feature a concentric circular line of phase contrast, demonstrating resonant excitation of a standing wave of counter-propagating surface plasmons, travelling between a tip and opposite circular edge of the antenna. Transmission spectra obtained in the range 900 - 2100 nm are in good agreement with numerical simulations, revealing the main feature of this antenna configuration, viz., the resonance wavelength, in contrast to triangular antennas, does not depend on the taper angle and is determined only by the sector radius. This feature together with a robust and easily predictable frequency response makes circular sector-like nanoantennas very promising for implementing bowtie antennas and attractive for many applications.