Periodic Reporting for period 4 - QUANTUMMETALINK (Quantum Metamaterials: A Theoretical and Computational Approach Towards Seamlessly Integrated Hybrid Classical/Quantum Nano-structures)
Período documentado: 2019-12-01 hasta 2021-01-31
i) Theoretical and computational study of quantum properties of metamaterials: a) developed a numerical method based on the rigorous coupled-wave analysis to model linear and nonlinear optical properties of periodically structured 2D materials, such as graphene and transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) materials; b) developed a homogenization method to calculate linear and nonlinear optical constants of graphene metamaterials. A paper on this topic is under preparation; c) developed an FDTD-type numerical method that incorporates optical nonlinearities of graphene and TMDC materials; d) explored physical mechanisms to enhance the nonlinear optical response of graphene nanostructures, namely by employing specially engineered nanostructure that possess double plasmon resonances; e) studied the optical properties of metallo-dielectric superlattices containing graphene, as well as light propagation in such photonic structures; f) performed numerical simulations related to second-harmonic generation in metallo-dielectric nanostructures containing nonlinear 2D materials, aiming to compute linear and nonlinear optical constants of these metamaterials; g) developed a theoretical approach to calculate the effective Raman susceptibility of a silicon-based metasurface made of photonic crystal cavities; h) developed a theoretical approach to study the optical properties of quantum waveguides consisting of coupled silicon-based photonic crystal cavities; i) analyzed theoretically and computationally the quantum properties of single graphene nanoflakes and dimers made of graphene nanoflakes; j) computed quantum mechanically the polarizability and hyperpolarizabilities of graphene nanoflakes and dimers made of graphene nanoflakes; k) investigated computationally quantum plasmon based sensors; l) studied topological properties of metamaterial superlattices with changing sign of the average permittivity; m) investigated theoretically and computationally the linear and nonlinear mixing of spin and orbital angular momenta in plasmonic and dielectric chiral nanostructures.
ii) Computational tools for modelling physical properties of quantum metamaterials: a) implemented the method discussed at item i-a in a code and tested it for specific photonic nanostructures of interest; b) implemented the homogenization method discussed at item i-b in a code and tested it for specific nanostructures of interest and for different angles of incidence, wave polarization and physical parameters of graphene; c) implemented the method discussed at item i-c in a code and tested it for second- and third-order optical nonlinearities; d) developed a Python code for calculation of optical response of graphene nanoflakes within the tight-binding approximation; e) developed a GS-FDTD computer code that incorporates optical nonlinearities and used the code to investigate linear and nonlinear optical properties of graphene metasurfaces.
iii) Potential applications of quantum metamaterials: a) studied linear and nonlinear optical properties of passive and active graphene-based polarizers; b) investigated light transport in a generic quantum waveguide, namely an array of coupled silicon-based photonic crystal cavities; c) studied optical properties of metamaterials-like plasmonic Bragg fibers with negative average permittivity; d) performed a rigorous theoretical analysis of a surface-plasmon nanolaser containing a monolayer MoS2 as gain medium; e) developed a theory of quantum plasmon tunnelling between graphene nanoflakes via molecular bridges and its implications to molecular sensors.
The scientific outcomes of this work were reported in about 50 journal articles, 70 conference peer-reviewed papers, and 20 seminar, colloquium and workshop talks.