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Speaker:
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Prof. dr. Albert Polman |
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Affiliation:
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FOM- Institute AMOLF, Amsterdam |
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Title:
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Plasmonics: from optics at the nanoscale to metamaterials and photovoltaics
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Date:
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26-11-2009 |
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Start:
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16.00 |
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Location:
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FWN-Building 5111.0080 |
Abstract
Surface plasmons are collective oscillations of the conduction electrons in a metal. They create strong optical resonances in the visible spectral range and lead to propagating electromagnetic waves with optical dispersion that is entirely different than that in regular dielectrics. Recent advances in the engineering and fabrication of metal nanostructures have led to the field of plasmonics: the study of the manipulation of light at the nanoscale using plasmons.
In this talk I will review our recent work in this area, demonstrating light concentration into 50-100 nm hot spots in plasmonic nanotapers, plasmonic metal-insulator-metal structures with a negative refractive index, and confinement of plasmons in nanoscale whispering gallery cavities. The insights in the propagation and confinement of light in these structures lead to the development of a novel optical metamaterial, with a negative magnetic permeability in the UV-blue spectral region, and thus negative index of refraction. Light scattering from plasmonic metamaterials can lead to an enhanced conversion efficiency of thin-film solar cells, as I will show.
Biography
Albert Polman
Albert Polman
obtained his Ph.D. from the
University
of
Utrecht
, the
Netherlands
, in 1989. He was a post-doctoral researcher at AT&T Bell Laboratories until 1991 and then became group leader at the FOM-Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics (AMOLF) in
Amsterdam
, the
Netherlands
. In 2003 he spent a sabbatical year at CALTECH. Since 2005 he combines running his research group with the directorship of AMOLF. Polman is associated with the
University
of
Utrecht
as a professor of nanophotonics. His research interests are energy transfer in photonic nanostructures, plasmonics, microcavities, silicon nanostructures and photovoltaics. Polman specializes in studies at the interface between optical physics and materials science, and has regularly demonstrated transfer of knowledge to applied concepts. Polman’s research group has published 200 articles in international journals that received more than 7000 citations.
