Research

In 1998, Ebbesen et al. showed that the transmission of light through sub-wavelength holes could be three orders of magnitude higher than expected from Bethe theory [1]. This extraordinary transmission is enabled by surface-plasmon modes on the surface of the metal. The surface plasmon modes are very tightly bound to the metallic-dielectric boundary, which has made them interesting for applications including: subwavelength optics [2], bio-sensors [3], optical switching [4], frequency conversion [5] and quantum information processing [6].

Our investigations are focussed on maximizing the surface-plasmon enhancement and applying this to different applications. We are investigating the interaction between the surface plasmons and quantum dots. We are engineering biosensors that integrate the nano-optic templates in microfluidic devices. We are developing new simulation tools that can lead the way to better understanding and design.

References

1. T.W. Ebbesen, H. J. Lezec, H. F. Ghaemi, T. Thio, and P. A.Wolff, Nature (London) 391, 667 (1998).
2. S. Shinada, J. Hashizume, and F. Koyama, Appl. Phys. Lett. 83, p. 836 (2003).
3. A. D. Sheehan, J. Quinn, S. Daly, P. Dillon, and R. O’Kennedy, Analyt. Lett. 36, 511 (2003).
4. A. Benabbas,V. Halte , L. Guidoni, P. N. Saeta, J.-Y. Bigot, A. Degiron, H. Lezec, and T.W. Ebbesen, QELS 2003, p. 169.
5. A. Nahata, R. A. Linke, T. Ishi, and K. Ohashi, Opt. Lett. 28, 423 (2003).
6. E. Altewischer, M. P. van Exter, and J. P. Woerdman, Nature (London) 418, 304 (2002).