Nonlinear Thermoplasmonics in Graphene Nanostructures
New paper published in Nano Letters reveals that near-infrared plasmons can be thermally activated in narrow graphene nanoribbons by using optical pulses, without resorting to extreme electrical doping schemes, and can drive nonlinear optical effects for advanced photonic applications.
In this newly released publication, Dr. Line Jelver and Professor Joel Cox theoretically explore thermoplasmons in narrow graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) that emerge when electrons are thermally excited by ultrafast optical pulses. These thermoplasmons can be activated at mid- and near-infrared frequencies with moderate absorbed energy densities, driving substantial third-harmonic generation (THG) and optical Kerr nonlinearities. The proposed photothermal excitation scheme circumvents conventional strategies to tune graphene plasmons via electrical gating, which can be invasive and challenging to implement. Besides enhancing the nonlinear plasmonic response, thermal doping in narrow GNRs furthermore provides a novel platform for investigating quantum confinement and edge termination effects, both in linear and nonlinear optical response regimes, with the latter exhibiting stronger sensitivity to electronic band structure.
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Line Jelver
