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Determination of the Excitation and Coupling Rates Between Light Emitters and Surface Plasmon Polaritons
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Tunable Plasmonic Reflection by Bound 1D Electron States in a 2D Dirac Metal
1Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|September 3, 2016
Summary
Surface plasmons in two-dimensional Dirac metals like graphene can be reflected by engineered one-dimensional electron states. This phenomenon, driven by enhanced optical conductivity, is controllable with electrostatic gates.
Area of Science:
- Condensed matter physics
- Materials science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Two-dimensional Dirac metals, such as graphene, exhibit unique electronic properties.
- Surface plasmons are collective oscillations of electrons at the surface of a material.
- Linelike perturbations can host one-dimensional electron states, influencing material properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the reflection of surface plasmons in two-dimensional Dirac metals by linelike perturbations.
- To explore the role of optical conductivity enhancement due to bound states in this reflection phenomenon.
- To propose and experimentally validate a method for controlling these bound states using electrostatic gates.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical modeling of surface plasmon reflection and optical conductivity.
- Development of a concept for creating, controlling, and eliminating bound states with electrostatic gates.
- Infrared nanoimaging experiments to observe graphene conductivity changes.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated that surface plasmons in graphene can be reflected by linelike perturbations hosting one-dimensional electron states.
- Identified strong local optical conductivity enhancement as the origin of the reflection, linked to optical transitions in bound states.
- Obtained experimental evidence of locally enhanced graphene conductivity induced by a carbon nanotube gate.
Conclusions:
- Linelike perturbations can effectively reflect surface plasmons in two-dimensional Dirac metals.
- Electrostatic gates offer a viable method for controlling the properties of these bound states and their impact on optical conductivity.
- The findings support the theoretical concept and open avenues for novel plasmonic devices.
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