Plasmonics in Quantum and Energy science

Plasmonics can confine light to deep-sub-wavelength scales and amplify light/matter interactions in nanoscale regions. This can profoundly impact energetic and optical phenomena in materials that hybridize with the optical field. We are exploring this in two complementary directions - in one direction, we are utilizing strong light-matter interactions to tailor energetics in organic molecules. Organic molecules exhibit synthetically tunable, high-absorption optical resonances at wavelengths ranging from the ultraviolet to the infrared, and are widely used in scientific and technological applications including energy harvesting, detectors, and resource-efficient displays. Hybridiziation with plasmonics can further enhance quantum efficiency, chemical stability, charge stability, and interfacial transfer in molecular films - we are exploring this new tuning capability in collaboration with the King Lab. In the other direction, plasmonics is an untapped resource in quantum optics and engineering. We will use plasmonics to manipulate and probe quantum states in diamond with unprecedented spatial resolution. We will determine if plasmonic cavities can generate coherent emission from quantum states in diamond at room temperature, unlocking a new regime in quantum optics.