Transdimensional Chiral Metasurfaces: Theory and Applications

This theoretical effort is to develop the quantum electrodynamics (QED) formalism and study the optical properties for chiral ultrathin metasurfaces (MSs) of precisely controlled variable thickness in the transdimensional (TD) regime. The medium-assisted QED approach previously developed by the principal investigator (PI, Bondarev) for other nanostructured materials of reduced dimensionality, will be elaborated to explicitly include dissipative magneto-dielectric effects associated with the vertical quantum confinement in the ultrathin TD chiral MSs (thinner than the half-wavelength of external beam radiation).

Chiral ultrathin nanostructures, particularly finite-thickness densely packed chiral single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCN) arrays, offer thickness-controlled optical activity, negative refraction, tunable light-matter coupling and new quantum phenomena such as enabling atomic transitions that are normally forbidden. The effort is to reveal the principles of control of the near-surface chiral electromagnetic (EM) effects originating from the true quantum nature of light and mediated by the intrinsic collective quantum excitations in these chiral nanostructures.

Fundamental understanding of the quantum nature of collective quasiparticle excitations and near-field EM effects in anisotropic, chiral TD MSs is the key for the development of the future generation of advanced highly efficient energetic materials with characteristics adjustable on demand. Such materials could be used in the future optoelectronics technologies for applications such as EM imaging, sensing, control and manipulation, including also enhanced EM detection capabilities of directed-energy systems such as night-vision devices, radars, and lidars.

Other, more fundamental applications include the following: (a) highly efficient Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) substrates for single atom/ion/molecule detection, trapping, and manipulation; (b) precision directional control of polarized spontaneous emission, absorption and scattering by atomic type emitters trapped near MSs; and (c) near-field control of chemical reactivity and Casimir-Polder forces (friction/stiction) in close proximity to chiral TD films, to mention a few. Rigorous methods of theoretical solid-state physics, QED and quantum optics, combined with computer modeling and simulations, will be used to predict the quantum optical properties, to guide the experiments, and thus to unleash the power and new functionalities of the ultrathin chiral optical MSs for advanced optoelectronics applications.