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Ultrafast optics and plasmonics of nanostructures

Ultrafast optics and plasmonics of nanostructures

Though  research into the laser generation of one-dimensional periodic surface nanostructures (PSS) under the action of ultrashort (femtosecond) laser pulses (USP) has continued for decades, the mechanisms of PSS generation – in particular, effects of the dynamic change in the optical properties of the photoexcited surface of materials and of the distribution of electromagnetic field energy as a result of USP–SEW interference (where SEW is the surface electromagnetic wave excited by USP on the surface); mechanisms of the mass transfer (removal – ablation) of a substance, of the optics of photoexcited nanostructured surface, of the emergence of subwave PSS (L << l, where l and L are the wavelengths of incident radiation and of the emerging periodic structure, respectively) – have been investigated still insufficiently. For this reason, we investigated the following major stages of PSS generation under the action of USP: (1) photoexcitation of the surface and USP–SEW interference under the action of IR and, for the first time, of UV USP; (2) emergence of the primary, as a rule, nonharmonic, near wave (L » l) periodic nanorelief; (3) writing of PSS (including subwave  nanogratings) as the result of USP diffraction on the primary nonharmonic microrelief; (4) development of PSS in the course of the interaction of the subsequent multiple USP with a developed nanorelief – up to its degradation and formation of a microrelief. A simple and informative  method was proposed to study dynamic optical constants of a substance in the USP scale by the measurement of its own reflection (self-reflection). Higher harmonics (up to the 7th) of the nanorelief were first observed. An alternative explanation for the emergence of these subwave PSS was proposed as the result of the diffraction of USP at the primary nonharmonic nanorelief (superposition of the nanorelief harmonics), emerging, as a rule, in the weakly above-threshold regime of nanostructuring, with the excitation of a manifold of SEW with a corresponding spectrum of wave numbers rather than a little-probable effect of the generation of higher optical surface harmonics.
Recently, we did research on the generation of sols of chemically “pure” plasmon nanoparticles by ablation of solid state materials – iron, gold, nickel, silicon, YbCo superconducting ceramics – under the action of USP in a medium of various liquids. The obtained sols of nanoparticles  were used, among other things, to create nanocomposites based on the dielectric matrix of a 3D photon crystal – artificial opal – by filling its air-filled nanovacancies with quantum dots/nanoparticles and the subsequent drying of the solvent. The optical spectroscopy of opal’s forbidden band demonstrates, owing to the high chemical purity of nanoparticles, correct signs and significant predicted amplitudes of the “blue” shift (for metal nanoparticles) and “red” shift (for dielectric nanoparticles) of nanocomposite’s band spectrum.
Also, experimental studies and numerical modeling were performed of the local amplification of the electromagnetic field on surface nanogratings and surface nanotips of photoexcited materials for the development of substrates for highly sensitive detection of organic molecules using the effect of enormous surface-enhanced Raman scattering.

  1. E.V. Golosov, A.A. Ionin, Yu.R. Kolobov, S.I. Kudryashov, A.E. Ligachev, Yu.N. Novoselov, L.V. Seleznev, D.V. Sinitsyn,Ultrafast changes in the optical properties of a titanium surface and femtosecond laser writing of one-dimensional quasi-periodic nanogratings of its relief. JETP, 113(1), 14–26 (2011).
  2. E.V. Golosov, A.A. Ionin, Yu.R. Kolobov, S.I. Kudryashov, A.E. Ligachev, S.V. Makarov, Yu.N. Novoselov, L.V. Seleznev, D.V. Sinitsyn, Topological evolution of self-induced silicon nanogratings during prolonged femtosecond laser irradiation. Appl. Phys. A, 104 (2), 701–705 (2011).
  3. V.P. Korolkov, A.A. Ionin, S.I. Kudryashov, L.V. Seleznev, D.V. Sinitsyn, R.V. Samsonov, A.I. Masliy, A.Zh. Medvedev, B.G. Goldenberg, Surface nanostructuring of Ni/Cu foils by femtosecond laser pulses. Quantum Electron., 41(4), 387–392 (2011).
  4. E.V. Golosov, A.A. Ionin, Yu.R. Kolobov, S.I. Kudryashov, А.Е. Ligachev, S.V. Makarov, Yu.N. Novoselov, L.V. Seleznev, D.V. Sinitsyn, A.R. Sharipov, Near-threshold femtosecond laser fabrication of one-dimensional sub-wavelength nanogratings on graphite surface. Phys. Rev. B, 83, 115426 (2011).
  5.  A.A. Ionin, S.I. Kudryashov, S.V. Makarov, L.V. Seleznev, D.V. Sinitsyn, E.V. Golosov, O.A. Golosova, Yu.R. Kolobov, A.E. Ligachev, Formation of quasi-periodic nano- and microstructures on silicon surface under IR and UV femtosecond laser pulses. Quantum Electron., 41(9), 829–834 (2011).
  6. V.S. Gorelik, A.A. Ionin, S.I. Kudryashov, S.V. Makarov, L.V. Seleznev, D.V. Sinitsyn, R.A. Chanieva, A.R. Sharipov, Nanocomposites based on globular photonic crystals grown by laser ablation using femtosecond laser pulses. Bull. Lebedev Phys. Inst., 38(11),328–333 (2011).
  7. A.A. Ionin, S.I. Kudryashov, S.V. Makarov, L.V. Seleznev, D.V. Sinitsyn, E.V. Golosov, O.A. Golosova, Yu.R. Kolobov, A.E. Ligachev, Femtosecond laser color marking of metal and semiconductor surfaces. Appl. Phys. A, 107 (2), 301–305 (2012).
  8.  A.A. Ionin, S.I. Kudryashov, L.V. Seleznev, D.V. Sinitsyn, V.I. Emel’yanov, Nonlinear regime of the excitation of a surface electromagnetic wave on the silicon surface by an intense femtosecond laser pulse. JETP Lett., 97(3), 121–125 (2013).
  9. A.A. Ionin, Y.M. Klimachev, A.Y. Kozlov, S.I. Kudryashov, A.E. Ligachev, S.V. Makarov, L.V. Seleznev, D.V. Sinitsyn, A.A. Rudenko, R.A. Khmelnitsky, Direct femtosecond laser fabrication of antireflective layer on GaAs surface. Appl. Phys. B, 111, 419–423 (2013).
  10. A.A. Ionin, S.I. Kudryashov, A.E. Ligachev, S.V. Makarov, N.N. Mel’nik, L.V. Seleznev, D.V. Sinitsyn, A.A. Rudenko, R.A. Khmelnitsky, Local field enhancement on metallic periodic surface structures produced by femtosecond laser pulses. Quant. Electron., 43(4), 304–307 (2013). http://www.turpion.org/php/paper.phtml?journal_id=qe&paper_id=15105
  11. M.A. Gubko, A.A. Ionin, S.I. Kudryashov, S.V. Makarov, A.A. Rudenko, L.V. Seleznev, D.V. Sinitsyn, Focusingofintensefemtosecondsurfaceplasmon-polaritons. JETP Lett., 97(10), 599–603 (2013).