Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 8, 2026

06:53
Scanning SQUID Study of Vortex Manipulation by Local Contact
Published on: February 1, 2017
Electromagnetic energy vortex associated with sub-wavelength plasmonic Taiji marks
Wei Ting Chen1, Pin Chieh Wu, Chen Jung Chen
1Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Optics Express
|October 14, 2010
Summary
Researchers fabricated gold Taiji nano-structures and studied their plasmonic resonances. A unique vortex-like Poynting vector profile was observed in one structure due to its specific design.
Area of Science:
- Plasmonics
- Nanotechnology
- Optical Metamaterials
Background:
- The Taiji symbol, an ancient oriental emblem, represents complementary opposing forces.
- Nano-fabrication techniques enable the creation of complex structures at the nanoscale.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the plasmonic resonances of Taiji nano-structures.
- To explore the optical properties of these unique nanostructures.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a 70x70 array of gold Taiji marks (30 nm thickness) using electron beam lithography on a fused silica substrate.
- Characterization of plasmonic resonances through experimental measurements and numerical simulations under normal illumination.
- Analysis of Poynting vector profiles for different Taiji nano-structure configurations.
Main Results:
- Successful fabrication of Taiji nano-structures with precise dimensions (500 nm diameter, 700 nm array period).
- Observation of plasmonic resonances in the fabricated nano-structures.
- Identification of a specific Taiji nano-structure exhibiting a vortex-like Poynting vector profile.
Conclusions:
- The unique geometry of the Taiji symbol can lead to interesting optical phenomena, such as vortex-like energy flow.
- Taiji nano-structures offer a novel platform for exploring plasmonic effects and potential applications in optics and photonics.
Related Concept Videos
Electromagnetic Fields
Electric fields generated by static charges, often referred to as electrostatic fields, are characteristically different from electric fields created by time-varying magnetic fields. While the former is a conservative field, implying that no net work is done on a test charge if it goes around in a complete loop in the field, the latter is, by definition, not a conservative field; net work is done, and it is proportional to the rate of change of magnetic flux.
However, the observation of Gauss's...
However, the observation of Gauss's...
Energy In A Magnetic Field
If a magnetic field is sustained, there must be a current in a closed circuit or loop, implying some energy has been spent in creating the field. If this energy is not dissipated via the circuit's resistance, it is stored in the field.
Take an ideal inductor with zero resistance. Although it's practically impossible, assume that the coil's resistance is so small that it is practically negligible. The loss of the field's energy to dissipate thermal energy (or heat) is thus negligible.
The energy...
Take an ideal inductor with zero resistance. Although it's practically impossible, assume that the coil's resistance is so small that it is practically negligible. The loss of the field's energy to dissipate thermal energy (or heat) is thus negligible.
The energy...
Magnetic Field due to Moving Charges
A stationary charge creates and interacts with the electric field, while a moving charge creates a magnetic field.
Consider a point charge moving with a constant velocity. Like the electric field, the magnetic field at any point is directly proportional to the magnitude of the charge and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the source point and the field point. However, unlike the electric field, the magnetic field is always perpendicular to the plane containing the line...
Consider a point charge moving with a constant velocity. Like the electric field, the magnetic field at any point is directly proportional to the magnitude of the charge and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the source point and the field point. However, unlike the electric field, the magnetic field is always perpendicular to the plane containing the line...
Magnetic Fields
A moving charge or a current creates a magnetic field in the surrounding space, in addition to its electric field. The magnetic field exerts a force on any other moving charge or current that is present in the field. Like an electric field, the magnetic field is also a vector field. At any position, the direction of the magnetic field is defined as the direction in which the north pole of a compass needle points.
A magnetic field is defined by the force that a charged particle experiences...
A magnetic field is defined by the force that a charged particle experiences...
Magnetic Vector Potential
In electrostatics, the electric field can be written as the negative gradient of the potential. In magnetostatics, the zero divergence of the magnetic field ensures that the magnetic field can be expressed as the curl of a vector potential. This potential is known as the magnetic vector potential.
Consider an ideal solenoid with n turns per unit length and radius R. If I is the current through the solenoid, the magnetic field inside the solenoid is expressed as the product of vacuum...
Consider an ideal solenoid with n turns per unit length and radius R. If I is the current through the solenoid, the magnetic field inside the solenoid is expressed as the product of vacuum...
Standing Electromagnetic Waves
Electromagnetic waves can be reflected; the surface of a conductor or a dielectric can act as a reflector. As electric and magnetic fields obey the superposition principle, so do electromagnetic waves. The superposition of an incident wave and a reflected electromagnetic wave produces a standing wave analogous to the standing waves created on a stretched string.
Suppose a sheet of a perfect conductor is placed in the yz-plane, and a linearly polarized electromagnetic wave traveling in the...
Suppose a sheet of a perfect conductor is placed in the yz-plane, and a linearly polarized electromagnetic wave traveling in the...

