ECE Seminar with Vinod M. Menon

  • Starts: 4:00 pm on Thursday, February 28, 2013
Control of Light-Matter Interaction Using Dispersion Engineered Photonic Structures With Vinod M. Menon Associate Professor of Physics Laboratory for Nano and Micro Photonics, Department of Physics The City University of New York – Queens College & Graduate Center Faculty Host: Hatice Altug Refreshments will be served outside Room 339 at 3:45 p.m. Abstract: The interaction of light with matter can be engineered by controlling the photonic density of states (PDOS). I will discuss our recent work on optical topological transition in strongly anisotropic metamaterials that can be used to engineer the PDOS [1]. The transition in the topology of the iso-frequency surface from a closed ellipsoid to an open hyperboloid manifests itself in increased rates of spontaneous emission of emitters positioned near the metamaterial. Following this, I will talk about our work on light-matter quasiparticles realized in an excitonic lattice [2]. The coherent interaction between the excitons in the lattice with the Bloch waves of an underlying photonic crystal results in the formation of strongly coupled light-matter quasiparticles called Bloch polaritons. Tuning of these polariton states using electric field and its application for switching [3] and slow light enhanced nonlinear optics will also be discussed. Time permitting, I will also discuss our work on metal nanocomposite based photonic crystals for enhancing the nonlinear optical response [4]. [1] “Topological transitions in metamaterials,” H. Krishnamoorthy, Z. Jacob, E. Narimanov, I. Kretzschmar, and V. M. Menon, Science 336, 205 (2012). [2] “Exciton lattice polaritons in multiple quantum well based photonic crystals,” D. Goldberg, L. Deych, A. Lisyansky, Z. Shi, V. Tokranov, M. Yakimov, S. Oktyabrsky, and V. M. Menon, Nature Photonics 3, 662 (2009). [3] “Towards polaritonic logic circuits,” V. M. Menon, L. I . Deych, and A. Lisyansky, Nature Photonics 4, 345 (2010). [4] “Enhanced nonlinear response of metal nanocomposite based photonic crystals,” S. Husaini, H. Teng, and V. M. Menon, Applied Physics Letters 101,111103 (2012). About the Speaker: Dr. Vinod Menon is an Associate Professor of Physics at the City University of New York (CUNY). He joined CUNY as part of the Photonic Initiative in 2004. Prior to joining CUNY, he was a research staff member at Princeton University (2003-04). He joined Princeton as the Lucent Bell Labs Post Doctoral Fellow in Photonics in 2001. He received his MSc in physics from the University of Hyderabad, India, in 1995 and his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Massachusetts in 2001. His current research interests include metamaterials for controlling light-matter interaction, cavity quantum electrodynamics using wide bandgap and organic materials, engineered nonlinear optical materials using hybrid nanocomposites and methods to induce spatial coherence in disordered organic molecular systems. More details about his research interests and publications can be found at: www.lanmp.org
Location:
Photonics Center, 8 Saint Mary’s St., Room 339
Registration:
http://www.bu.edu/ece/files/2013/02/Menon.pdf