Plasmonics: An Emerging Optical Nanotechnology

Naomi Halas
Stanley C. Moore Professor
ECE Department
Rice University

The strong interaction between metallic objects and electromagnetic waves at optical frequencies provides us with powerful methods for controlling light. Using metals, light can be manipulated, propagated, and focused within spatial dimensions far below the diffraction limit of conventional optics. This opens up opportunities to finally begin to shrink the dimensions of optical components and systems to a size range consistent with deep submicron electronics, in other words, to develop nanophotonic components and systems. These components exploit the resonant response of metals at optical frequencies, known as the plasmon response. The combination of nanoscale fabrication methods- both "wet" and "dry"- with powerful computational tools for modeling the electromagnetic response of nanoscale metal structures with high accuracy provide the technology platform for this emerging field. In my talk I will present several examples of new plasmonic components and effects that have emerged recently from our research program.

For additional information, contact:

Naomi Halas at halas@rice.edu

Affiliates Meeting Agenda