Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Ido Kaminer

Marin Soljacic

John Dimitris Joannopoulos

Nicholas H Rivera

Ognjen Ilic

Karl Kimon Berggren

Yichen Shen

Bo Zhen

Yi Yang

Charles Roques-Carmes

Phillip Donald Keathley

Tena Dubcek

Liang Jie Wong

Steven E Kooi

Aviram Massuda

Yujia Yang

Yoav Lahini

An apparatus includes at least one conductive layer, an electromagnetic (EM) wave source, and an electron source. The conductive layer has a thickness less than 5 nm. The electromagnetic (EM) wave source is in electromagnetic communication with the at least one conductive layer and transmits a first EM wave at a first wavelength in the at least one conductive layer so as to generate a surface plasmon polariton (SPP) field near a surface of the at least one conductive layer. The electron source propagates an electron beam at least partially in the SPP field so as to generate a second EM wave at a second wavelength less than the first wavelength.

Apparatus and methods for generating electromagnetic radiation

An apparatus for generating Smith-Purcell radiation having at least one spectral component at a wavelength &#x3bb; includes a periodic structure including a dielectric material and an electron source, in electromagnetic communication with the periodic structure, to emit an electron beam propagating within about 5&#x3bb; from a surface of the periodic structure to induce emission of the Smith-Purcell radiation. The electron beam has an electron energy tunable between about 0.5 keV and about 40 keV so as to change a wavelength of the Smith-Purcell radiation.

Apparatus and methods for generating and enhancing Smith-Purcell radiation

Ultra-thin conductors are employed to generate plasmon fields near the surface of the conductors. Emitters, such as atoms, molecules, quantum dots, or quantum wells, in the plasmon fields can emit and absorb light via transitions that are otherwise forbidden in the absence of the plasmon fields. Applications using these forbidden transitions include spectroscopy, organic light sources, and broadband light generation. For example, in a spectroscopic platform, an emitter is disposed in the plasmon fields to excite electronic transitions that are otherwise unexcitable. In organic light sources, plasmon fields quench excited triplet states, allowing fast singlet decay with the emission of light. In broadband light generation, strong two-plasmon spontaneous emission of emitters near ultrathin conductors is employed to produce a broad spectrum of light.

Apparatus and methods for spectroscopy and broadband light emission using two-dimensional plasmon fields

A technique to guide a micro- or nano-scale particle uses the wavelengths of light beams to control the direction of motion of the particle. In this technique, an optical asymmetry is introduced into the particle to form a composite particle. The composite particle includes two faces that preferentially absorb light of different wavelengths, independent of the particle orientation. The difference in absorption spectra of the two faces creates a bidirectional and local thermal gradient that is externally switchable by changing the wavelength of the incident light beams. This thermal gradient induces a thermophoretic drift that moves the composite particle. A two-faced nanoparticle can be guided using the optically induced thermophoretic drift as the propulsion mechanism.

Systems and methods for particle guiding

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Ido Kaminer