Controlling and detecting coherent acoustic phonons with plasmons

by Kevin O'Brien (LBNL)

Wednesday 23 Jul 2014, 12:00 → 13:00 US/Pacific

50A-5132

Abstract: Due to their large absorption cross-sections and high sensitivity to refractive index changes, nanoplasmonic resonators can be used to generate and detect coherent acoustic phonons up to terahertz frequencies. By designing plasmonic nanostructures exhibiting multimodal phonon interference, we can detect the spatial properties of phonon modes below the optical wavelength through the interplay between plasmons and phonons. This allows detection of complex nanomechanical dynamics by polarization-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy.

See also: TABL article on "ultra high frequency sound waves."

Slides upon request

article http://xlab.me.berkeley.edu/pdf/243.pdf

paper on amplifier http://arxiv.org/abs/1406.2346