2023 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report
Metamaterial Tweezers for Trapping Quantum Dots
| Project/Area Number |
22KJ3083
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Research Institution | Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University |
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Principal Investigator |
Bouloumis Theodoros 沖縄科学技術大学院大学, 科学技術研究科, 特別研究員(PD)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2023-03-08 – 2024-03-31
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| Keywords | Optical trapping / Quantum emitters / Nanographene / Metamaterials |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
In the second phase of the project, we collaborated with an organic chemistry unit at OIST who synthesized nanographene-based quantum emitters based on our desired properties for size and emission. The quantum emitters were based on a double-7-carbohelicene structure, their average diameter was at around 20 nm and their emission wavelength was at 575 nm. Our goal was to trap the quantum emitters using the optical tweezers setup on the metamaterial plasmonic array taking advantage of near-field optical forces. The particles were dispersed in water solution using a specific concentration and were successfully trapped on the metamaterial array. The main observation was that thermal effects show up at high intensities leading to disturbance of the trapping performance. The advantage of using the metamaterial array for trapping, was apparent because thanks to the very strong optical forces with low incident intensities, we could trap the particles without causing significant heating of the environment. Finally, the quantum emitters were also excited with 490 nm and their emission wavelength was measured to be around 575 nm as initially desired, therefore making them ideal candidates for quantum technologies applications where they could be used as single-photon sources.
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