Dual Distributed Feedback Laser System for Quantum-Limited Spectrometry through Plasmonic Nanostructures
Abstract
ABSTRACT:A novel spectrometry technique for probing the spectral properties, intensity, and polarization of electromagnetic waves from radio frequency (RF) to terahertz (THz) frequencies has been recently presented by the PI, which could offer unprecedented quantum-limited sensitivities. This unique functionality is offered by multi-spectral plasmonic nanostructures fabricated on a photo-absorbing semiconductor substrate and designed to maximize the intensity and spatialoverlap of an optical pump beam with the incident electromagnetic wave to be probed. The optical pump beam and the incident electromagnetic wave will be focused onto nanoscale photoabsorbing semiconductor regions defined by the plasmonic nanostructures. As a result, opticallygenerated electron-hole pairs will be drifted to the metallic plasmonic nanostructures in response to the incident electromagnetic wave. The resulting photocurrent drifted to the metallicplasmonic nanostructures, which contains the intensity and spectral information of the incident electromagnetic wave, will be collected by an external circuit for processing. Moreover, by use of polarization-sensitive multi-spectral plasmonic nanostructure designs, the polarization state of the incident electromagnetic wave can be determined as a function of frequency.Through this DURIP proposal, the PI requests funds for purchasing a dual distributed feedback lasers system (Toptica TeraBeam 780) and its wavelength locking electronics to conduct fundamental studies on the behavior of plasmonic nanostructures in response to external electromagnetic waves in a multi-spectral electromagnetic wave platform and discover the fundamental physical limitations of sensitivity, bandwidth, and wavelength accuracy of the proposed spectrometer based on multi-spectral plasmonic nanostructures. The uniquespecifications of the requested laser system and its wavelength locking kit enables high precision (quantum limited) analysis of the spectral properties of electromagnetic waves from RF-THz with more than a 6 THz bandwidth with a spectral accuracy of less than 5 MHz. This new capability would fill an important knowledge gap, both from a fundamental physics perspective and for utilizing unique functionalities of nanoelectronic and nanophotonic devices. It enablesfundamental discoveries on the interaction of phonons, electrons, holes, excitons and semiconductor lattice. It also offers a valuable understanding of the fundamental physical limitations of ultrafast operation of nanoscale devices and a more realistic prediction for the ultimate extent of transistor scaling roadmap in the future.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Apr 25, 2019
- Source ID
- N000141912281
Entities
People
- Mona Jarrahi
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of California, Los Angeles