Opto-Thermo-Mechanical Interactions in Nano-Objects and Metasurfaces

A special issue of Optics (ISSN 2673-3269).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 September 2023) | Viewed by 21569

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Information Engineering, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Brescia, Italy
Interests: optics; thermodynamics; mechanics; multiphysics; simulations; analytical and numerical methods

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The interplay among optics, thermics and mechanics is of paramount importance for technological applications. For instance, in devices exploiting electromagnetic radiation, such as antennas, it is crucial to control the working temperature in order to avoid overheating or system damages. On the other hand, light can be exploited to apply forces and deformations at the micro- and nanoscales. For instance, optical tweezers have been introduced to trap sub-micrometric objects into highly focused laser beam. The aforementioned applications are just a few examples of the plethora of applications in which the opto-thermo-mechanical interaction is crucial.

Metallic and dielectric nano-objects and metasurfaces proved very useful to concentrate light and to enhance the electromagnetic field. These geometries are the perfect playground where the opto-thermal and the optomechanical interactions may be sought. As withnessed by the very recent and high impact publications in this field, the opto-thermo-mechanical interactions in nano-objects and metasurfaces still pose puzzling questions, and several challenges remain to be explored for the design and realization of next-generation optical devices.

The scope of this Special Issue is to tackle recent and promising achievements in the field of linear and nonlinear opto­­-thermo-mechanical interactions in nano-objects, metamaterials and metasurfaces of nanostructures. We are also open to new materials that can be patterned and exploited for nanostructures engineering. Areas to be covered may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Opto-thermal and opto-mechanical processes;
  • Optical limiters and switch;
  • Tunability of the optical properties by using phase changing materials;
  • Optical tuning with liquid crystals;
  • Multiphysics modelling;
  • Experimental techniques to address the opto-thermo mechanical processes ;
  • Higher-harmonic, sum frequency and difference frequency generation modulated by external optical pulses;
  • Photo-injection for all-optical control;
  • Thermo-mechanical tuning of the Raman spectrum emitted by nanostructures;
  • Light induced thermo-mechanical tuning in metamaterials and nano-objects;
  • Dynamic control of nonlinear optical processes in metasurfaces.

Dr. Marco Gandolfi
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • nano-structures
  • nano-objects
  • metasurfaces
  • metamaterials
  • optical tunability
  • multiphysics
  • opto-thermics
  • opto-mechanics
  • phase-change materials

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 1016 KiB  
Article
Photonic Crystals Fabricated by Two-Photon Polymerization with Mechanical Defects
by Victoria Paige Stinson, Nuren Shuchi, Dustin Louisos, Micheal McLamb, Glenn D. Boreman and Tino Hofmann
Optics 2023, 4(2), 300-309; https://doi.org/10.3390/opt4020021 - 4 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2132
Abstract
One-dimensional photonic crystals have been used in sensing applications for decades, due to their ability to induce highly reflective photonic bandgaps. In this study, one-dimensional photonic crystals with alternating low- and high-density layers were fabricated from a single photosensitive polymer (IP-Dip) by two-photon [...] Read more.
One-dimensional photonic crystals have been used in sensing applications for decades, due to their ability to induce highly reflective photonic bandgaps. In this study, one-dimensional photonic crystals with alternating low- and high-density layers were fabricated from a single photosensitive polymer (IP-Dip) by two-photon polymerization. The photonic crystals were modified to include a central defect layer with different elastic properties compared to the surrounding layers, for the first time. It was observed that the defect mode resonance can be controlled by compressive force. Very good agreement was found between the experimentally measured spectra and the model data. The mechanical properties of the flexure design used in the defect layer were calculated. The calculated spring constant is of similar magnitude to those reported for microsprings fabricated on this scale using two-photon polymerization. The results of this study demonstrate the successful control of a defect resonance in one-dimensional photonic crystals fabricated by two-photon polymerization by mechanical stimuli, for the first time. Such a structure could have applications in fields, such as micro-robotics, and in micro-opto–electro–mechanical systems (MOEMSs), where optical sensing of mechanical fluctuations is desired. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Opto-Thermo-Mechanical Interactions in Nano-Objects and Metasurfaces)
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12 pages, 1571 KiB  
Article
Nonperturbative Generation of Harmonics by Nanometer-Scale Localized Electronic States on the Surface of Bulk Materials and Nano-Films
by Jozsef Seres, Enikoe Seres, Eva Céspedes, Leyre Martinez-de-Olcoz, Miguel Zabala and Thorsten Schumm
Optics 2023, 4(1), 246-257; https://doi.org/10.3390/opt4010017 - 13 Mar 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1851
Abstract
The generation of high-order harmonics in solid crystals has received considerable attention recently. Using a driver laser with 0.8 µm wavelength and 28 fs ultrashort pulses, we present experimental results, accompanied with theoretical considerations, suggesting that the actual sources of the harmonics are [...] Read more.
The generation of high-order harmonics in solid crystals has received considerable attention recently. Using a driver laser with 0.8 µm wavelength and 28 fs ultrashort pulses, we present experimental results, accompanied with theoretical considerations, suggesting that the actual sources of the harmonics are nanometer-sized localized and transient electronic states on the surface of the materials when the laser intensity is in the non-perturbative regime. Adaptation of the bond model of the harmonic generation into the non-perturbative regime and including the quantum features of the process provide a localized excitation approach that correctly describes the measured polarization dependence of the harmonic signal, reflecting the microscopic surface structure and symmetries of the examined materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Opto-Thermo-Mechanical Interactions in Nano-Objects and Metasurfaces)
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Review

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31 pages, 4677 KiB  
Review
Thermal Effects on Optical Chirality, Mechanics, and Associated Symmetry Properties
by Hyoung-In Lee, Tanvi Vaidya and Ram Prakash Dwivedi
Optics 2023, 4(3), 402-432; https://doi.org/10.3390/opt4030030 - 17 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1672
Abstract
A review is provided here about the thermal effects on optical chirality. To this goal, chiral objects dispersed in an embedding fluid are examined for their magnetoelectric coupling. Thermal effects on several chiral meta-atoms and their ensembles are examined. To this goal, DNA-like [...] Read more.
A review is provided here about the thermal effects on optical chirality. To this goal, chiral objects dispersed in an embedding fluid are examined for their magnetoelectric coupling. Thermal effects on several chiral meta-atoms and their ensembles are examined. To this goal, DNA-like helical structures are examined in detail. The mechanical aspect of thermo-elasticity is reviewed along with transverse deformations while drawing analogies from condensed-matter physics. In this respect, the chirality-induced spin selection is reviewed along with the temperature-mediated electron–phonon interactions. A wide range of materials, such as polymers and biological cells, are also examined for temperature effects. A transition temperature delineating a sign flip in the chirality parameter is identified as well. Chirality-associated functionalities such as ratchet motions, switching, and modulations are investigated for their respective thermal effects. Issues of fabricating chiral meta-atoms are also discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Opto-Thermo-Mechanical Interactions in Nano-Objects and Metasurfaces)
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13 pages, 1438 KiB  
Review
Tunability of the Optical Properties of Transition-Metal-Based Structural Phase Change Materials
by Sheheera Irfan, Yasir A. Haleem, Muhammad Imran Irshad, Muhammad Farooq Saleem, Muhammad Arshad and Muhammad Habib
Optics 2023, 4(2), 351-363; https://doi.org/10.3390/opt4020026 - 24 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2224
Abstract
Phase transitions are an intriguing yet poorly understood aspect of transition-metal-based materials; these phase transitions can result in changes to the refractive index, absorption coefficient, and other optical properties of the materials. Transition-metal-based materials exist in a variety of crystalline phases and also [...] Read more.
Phase transitions are an intriguing yet poorly understood aspect of transition-metal-based materials; these phase transitions can result in changes to the refractive index, absorption coefficient, and other optical properties of the materials. Transition-metal-based materials exist in a variety of crystalline phases and also have metallic, semi-metallic, and semi-conducting characteristics. In this review, we demonstrate that alloyed W- and Mo-based dichalcogenides enable phase transitions in structures, with phase transition temperatures that are tunable across a wide range using various alloy models and modern DFT-based calculations. We also analyze the tuning the optical bandgap of the metal oxide nanoparticles through doping of the transition metal in a manner that is suitable for optical switching and thermal imaging. After the introduction and a brief illustration of the structures and their exceptional properties, we discuss synthetic methodologies and their application as part of important strategies toward the enhanced performance of transition-metal-based dichalcogenides and oxides. In the end, our conclusion highlights the prospects of 2D materials as phase transition materials due to their advantages in terms of scalability and adaptability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Opto-Thermo-Mechanical Interactions in Nano-Objects and Metasurfaces)
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27 pages, 3615 KiB  
Review
Optical Fiber Based Temperature Sensors: A Review
by Rahul Kumar Gangwar, Sneha Kumari, Akhilesh Kumar Pathak, Sai Dheeraj Gutlapalli and Mahesh Chand Meena
Optics 2023, 4(1), 171-197; https://doi.org/10.3390/opt4010013 - 23 Feb 2023
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 11486
Abstract
The current generation is witnessing a huge interest in optical waveguides due to their salient features: they are of low cost, immune to electromagnetic interference, easy to multiplex, have a compact size, etc. These features of optical fibers make them a useful tool [...] Read more.
The current generation is witnessing a huge interest in optical waveguides due to their salient features: they are of low cost, immune to electromagnetic interference, easy to multiplex, have a compact size, etc. These features of optical fibers make them a useful tool for various sensing applications including in medicine, automotives, biotechnology, food quality control, aerospace, physical and chemical monitoring. Among all the reported applications, optical waveguides have been widely exploited to measure the physical and chemical variations in the surrounding environment. Optical fiber-based temperature sensors have played a crucial role in this decade to detect high fever and tackle COVID-19-like pandemics. Recognizing the major developments in the field of optical fibers, this article provides recent progress in temperature sensors utilizing several sensing configurations including conventional fiber, photonic crystal fiber, and Bragg grating fibers. Additionally, this article also highlights the advantages, limitations, and future possibilities in this area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Opto-Thermo-Mechanical Interactions in Nano-Objects and Metasurfaces)
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