Nanoplasmonics at low temperatures
Previous work on the optical properties of surface-plasmon-polaritons (SPP) has shown them to be promising candidates for the creation of optical and quantum computers, as well as useful components in the creation of new optical metamaterials. Unfortunately before the potential SPPs can be fully realised several problems of both a technical and a physics nature need to be overcome. In particular, the propagation of light pulses in SPP circuits and films is known to be all severely limited by the effects of attenuation in the metal and material in-homogeneity, while issues of quantum coherence have yet to be properly addressed. The aims of this programme are to investigate the fundamental physics of SPPs so that SPP circuits can be developed for high-speed optical computing. We propose to do this by investigating the behaviour of SPPs at low temperatures and in nano-structured films, while also examining ways in which the SPP waves can be amplified or pumped by stimulated emission from non-linear or luminescent optical materials
Primary investigators
Associated research groups
- Nano Research Group
- Southampton Nanofabrication Centre