Self-generated spatiotemporal nanostructuring of laser light applied to energy transport and reconfigurable guiding networks in nanophotonics, plasmonic, and hybrid nanoparticles metacolloids
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Photonics based approach to communication seems to be the most effective way to bypass the fundamental limitations of the electronicâ based signal processing and to meet demands for fast transport and processing of enormous and ever increasing telecommunication- and internet-induced data flow. The nonlinear photonics and plasmonics provide suitable frameworks for self-organization of nanostructured laser light beams and pulses into robust reconfigurable guiding networks which could be used to speed up the information processing. The natural candidates for information carriers in these networks would be then the self-trapped spatiotemporal solitonic pulses: â spatial solitonsâ , â light bulletsâ and â light shellsâ with nonzero angular momentum (vorticity). Their self-generation, propagation and stability will be investigated theoretically and experimentally in nanocomposites and metacolloids of nanoparticles and nanorods. Theoretically demonstrated nesting of low vorticity solitons into the high vorticity soliton allowing selective dynamical optical tweezing of nanoparticles will be realized experimentally in order to engineer reconfigurable guides in metal-dielectric-nanocomposites (MDNCs) as well as to characterize forces exerted by molecular motors: myosin, kinesin, and ribosomes. The final aim is to self-generate experimentally polariton-solitons in nanoplasmonic systems. The typical plasmon-polaritons propagation in MDNCs is damped due to losses unless a loss is compensated by gain which then leads to formation of dissipationless plasmon-polariton solitons. Then unit cells consisting of MDNCs may be arranged in photonic nanocrystals useful for realization of various optical devices. The aim of the project is to conduct in a holistic way experimental investigations, strongly supported by theoretical, and numerical research of robust self-organized spatiotemporally reconfigurable structures in soft matter and solid mesoscopic, microscopic, and nanoscopic media. The project involves extensive collaboration with individual researchers and research groups from universities in Qatar, United States (University of Central Florida, France (University of Angers, University of Bordeaux ), Italy (University of Rome), UK (University of Durham), Georgia (Free University of Tbilisi), Australia (Australian National University) and Poland (Warsaw University of Technology), is based on multidisciplinary approach, strong research synergies, and complementarities of PIs and external collaborators. The time period required for the project is 3 years. This project is essential for development and expansion of new advanced nonlinear photonics laboratory established recently and led by the LPI at Texas A&M University at Qatar. This laboratory, first of this kind in this region of the world, is of strategic importance since the experimental work conducted in it will contribute simultaneously to two Qatar National Research Strategy Goals and Objectives: 1. Energy and Environment Pillar: Goal EE.7.1 Develop a national research program in material chemistry, material sciences and nanotechnology, and 2. Computer Sciences and Information Technology Pillar: Goal ICT.5 â Cross-cutting enabling research.
