Abstract: A method for producing a single photon source includes lithographically patterning a polymer on top of a plasmonic thin film, functionalizing top surfaces of the plasmonic thin film and the polymer, removing the polymer to form patterned functionalized sites on the top surface of the plasmonic thin film surface, and depositing nanodiamond particles to the patterned functionalized sites.

Abstract: A thermoplasmonic device includes a titanium film and a plurality of titanium nitride tube elements disposed on the titanium film. Each of the titanium nitride tube elements includes an open top and a titanium nitride bottom. Each of the titanium nitride tube elements has titanium nitride tubular middle portion that extends from the open top to the titanium nitride bottom.

Abstract: A method of providing super-resolved images of a photon emitting particle is disclosed, which includes providing a machine-learning (ML) platform, wherein the ML platform is configured to receive pixel-based sparse autocorrelation data and generate a predicted super-resolved image of a photon emitting particle, receiving photons from the photon emitting particle by two or more photon detectors, each generating an electrical pulse associated with receiving an incident photon thereon, generating sparse autocorrelation data from the two or more photon detectors for each pixel within an image area, and inputting the pixel-based sparse autocorrelation data to the ML platform, thereby generating a predicted super-resolved image of the imaging area, wherein the resolution of the super-resolved image is improved by ?n as compared to a classical optical microscope limited by Abbe diffraction limit.

Abstract: A method for producing a single photon source includes lithographically patterning a polymer on top of a plasmonic thin film, functionalizing top surfaces of the plasmonic thin film and the polymer, removing the polymer to form patterned functionalized sites on the top surface of the plasmonic thin film surface, and depositing nanodiamond particles to the patterned functionalized sites.

Abstract: A thermoplasmonic device includes a titanium film and a plurality of titanium nitride tube elements disposed on the titanium film. Each of the titanium nitride tube elements includes an open top and a titanium nitride bottom. Each of the titanium nitride tube elements has titanium nitride tubular middle portion that extends from the open top to the titanium nitride bottom.

Abstract: A nanostructured material system for efficient collection of photo-excited carriers is provided. They system comprises a plurality of plasmonic metal nitride core material elements coupled to a plurality of semiconductor material elements. The plasmonic nanostructured elements form ohmic junctions at the surface of the semiconductor material or at close proximity with the semiconductor material elements. A nanostructured material system for efficient collection of photo-excited carriers is also provided, comprising a plurality of plasmonic transparent conducting oxide core material elements coupled to a plurality of semiconductor material elements. The field enhancement, local temperature increase and energized hot carriers produced by nanostructures of these plasmonic material systems play enabling roles in various chemical processes. They induce, enhance, or mediate catalytic activities in the neighborhood when excited near the resonance frequencies.

Abstract: Titanium nitride (TiN) nanofurnaces are fabricated in a method that involves anodization of a titanium (Ti) foil to form TiO2 nanocavities. After anodization, the TiO2 nanocavities are converted to TiN at 600° C. under ammonia flow. The resulting structure is an array of refractory (high-temperature stable) subwavelength TiN cylindrical cavities that operate as plasmonic nanofurnaces capable of reaching temperatures above 600° C. under moderate concentrated solar irradiation. The nanofurnaces show near-unity solar absorption in the visible and near infrared spectral ranges and a maximum thermoplasmonic solar-to-heat conversion efficiency of 68 percent.

Abstract: Titanium nitride (TiN) nanofurnaces are fabricated in a method that involves anodization of a titanium (Ti) foil to form TiO2 nanocavities. After anodization, the TiO2 nanocavities are converted to TiN at 600° C. under ammonia flow. The resulting structure is an array of refractory (high-temperature stable) subwavelength TiN cylindrical cavities that operate as plasmonic nanofurnaces capable of reaching temperatures above 600° C. under moderate concentrated solar irradiation. The nanofurnaces show near-unity solar absorption in the visible and near infrared spectral ranges and a maximum thermoplasmonic solar-to-heat conversion efficiency of 68 percent.

Abstract: A circular dichroism spectrometer which comprises a metasurface. The metasurface has a plurality of anisotropic antennas configured to simultaneously spatially separate LCP and RCP spectral components from an incoming light beam. An optical detector array is included which detects the LCP and RCP spectral components. A transparent medium is situated between the metasurface and the optical detector array.

Abstract: An ultra-thin planar device is used for arbitrary waveform formation on a micrometer scale, regardless of the incident light's polarization. Patterned perforations are made in a 30 nm-thick metal film, creating discrete phase shifts and forming a desired wavefront of cross-polarized, scattered light. The signal-to-noise ratio of these devices is at least one order of magnitude higher than current metallic nano-antenna designs. The focal length of a lens built on such principle can also be adjusted by changing the wavelength of the incident light. All proposed embodiments can be embedded, for example, on a chip or at the end of an optical fiber.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are nanoparticle-based plasmonic solutions to therapeutic applications employing titanium nitride (TiN) and other non-stoichiometric compounds as the plasmonic material. Current solutions are suboptimal because they require complex shapes, large particle sizes, and a narrow range of sizes, in order to achieve plasmonic resonances in the biological window. The nanoparticles discloses herein provide plasmonic resonances occurring in the biological window even with small sizes, simple shapes, and better size dispersion restrictions. Local heating efficiencies of such nanoparticles outperform currently used Au and transition metal nanoparticles. The use of smaller particles with simpler shapes and better heating efficiencies allows better diffusion properties into tumor regions, larger penetration depth of light into the biological tissue, and the ability to use excitation light of less power.

Abstract: A circular dichroism spectrometer which comprises a metasurface. The metasurface has a plurality of anisotropic antennas configured to simultaneously spatially separate LCP and RCP spectral components from an incoming light beam. An optical detector array is included which detects the LCP and RCP spectral components. A transparent medium is situated between the metasurface and the optical detector array.

Abstract: A method of making an optical device including forming a plurality of holes with varying radii milled vertically into a film, wherein said holes form a pattern. The radius of each hole determines an effective refractive index for said hole. The effective refractive index modifies a phase and an intensity of an incoming electromagnetic radiation as the radiation propagates through said hole. The device is configured to be operating equally for each linearly polarized radiation simultaneously, wherein the each linearly polarized radiation is normally incident on the device.

Abstract: A circular dichroism spectrometer which comprises a metasurface. The metasurface has a plurality of anisotropic antennas configured to simultaneously spatially separate LCP and RCP spectral components from an incoming light beam. An optical detector array is included which detects the LCP and RCP spectral components. A transparent medium is situated between the metasurface and the optical detector array.

Abstract: An ultra-thin planar device is used for arbitrary waveform formation on a micrometer scale, regardless of the incident light's polarization. Patterned perforations are made in a 30 nm-thick metal film, creating discrete phase shifts and forming a desired wavefront of cross-polarized, scattered light. The signal-to-noise ratio of these devices is at least one order of magnitude higher than current metallic nano-antenna designs. The focal length of a lens built on such principle can also be adjusted by changing the wavelength of the incident light. All proposed embodiments can be embedded, for example, on a chip or at the end of an optical fiber.

Abstract: A planar optical device, comprised of sets of nanometer-scale holes milled into a thin metal or ceramic film of subwavelength thickness serves to form arbitrary waveform of light. The holes form a pattern, preferrably rings, of various sizes in order to achieve a given phase front of light due to photonic effect. When designed as a lens, the device focuses incident light into a tight focal spot. In symmetric design, the focusing property of the device does not depend on the incident polarization angle. The lens can be manufactured based on high-throughput fabrication methods and easily integrated with a chip or placed at the end of an optical fiber.

Abstract: An ultra-thin planar device is used for arbitrary waveform formation on a micrometer scale, regardless of the incident light's polarization. Patterned perforations are made in a 30 nm-thick metal film, creating discrete phase shifts and forming a desired wavefront of cross-polarized, scattered light. The signal-to-noise ratio of these devices is at least one order of magnitude higher than current metallic nano-antenna designs. The focal length of a lens built on such principle can also be adjusted by changing the wavelength of the incident light. All proposed embodiments can be embedded, for example, on a chip or at the end of an optical fiber.

Abstract: A nanostructured material system for efficient collection of photo-excited carriers is provided. They system comprises a plurality of plasmonic metal nitride core material elements coupled to a plurality of semiconductor material elements. The plasmonic nanostructured elements form ohmic junctions at the surface of the semiconductor material or at close proximity with the semiconductor material elements. A nanostructured material system for efficient collection of photo-excited carriers is also provided, comprising a plurality of plasmonic transparent conducting oxide core material elements coupled to a plurality of semiconductor material elements. The field enhancement, local temperature increase and energized hot carriers produced by nanostructures of these plasmonic material systems play enabling roles in various chemical processes. They induce, enhance, or mediate catalytic activities in the neighborhood when excited near the resonance frequencies.

Abstract: A system and method suitable for selection, manipulation, and analysis of individual particles within a fluid medium. The system and method involve manipulating the particles by contacting the fluid medium with a plasmonic nanoantenna, illuminating the plasmonic nanoantenna with a source of light such that the plasmonic nanoantenna acts as a nanoscale heat source resulting in localized heating of the fluid medium creating local gradients in the electrical properties of the fluid medium that yield plasmonic trapping sites in the vicinity of the plasmonic nanoantenna, and applying an alternating current electric field in the fluid medium to create electrothermoplasmonic flow around the plasmonic nanoantenna. The electrothermoplasmonic flow transports at least one of the particles towards the plasmonic nanoantenna and the particle is trapped by at least one of the plasmonic trapping sites.

Abstract: A time-varying optical metasurface, comprising a plurality of modulated nano-antennas configured to vary dynamically over time. The metasurface may be implemented as part of an optical isolator, wherein the time-varying metasurface provides uni-directional light flow. The metasurface allows the breakage of Lorentz reciprocity in time-reversal. The metasurface may operate in a transmission mode or a reflection mode.