2021/09/24
论文
论文标题:Tunable self-assembled Casimir microcavities and polaritons
作者:Munkhbat, Battulga, Canales, Adriana, Küçüköz, Betül, Baranov, Denis G., Shegai, Timur O.
期刊:Nature
发表时间:2021/09/08
数字识别码:10.1038/s41586-021-03826-3
摘要:Spontaneous formation of ordered structures—self-assembly—is ubiquitous in nature and observed on different length scales, ranging from atomic and molecular systems to micrometre-scale objects and living matter1. Self-ordering in molecular and biological systems typically involves short-range hydrophobic and van der Waals interactions2,3. Here we introduce an approach to micrometre-scale self-assembly based on the joint action of attractive Casimir and repulsive electrostatic forces arising between charged metallic nanoflakes in an aqueous solution. This system forms a self-assembled optical Fabry–Pérot microcavity with a fundamental mode in the visible range (long-range separation distance about 100–200 nanometres) and a tunable equilibrium configuration. Furthermore, by placing an excitonic material in the microcavity region, we are able to realize hybrid light–matter states (polaritons4,5,6), whose properties, such as coupling strength and eigenstate composition, can be controlled in real time by the concentration of ligand molecules in the solution and light pressure. These Casimir microcavities could find future use as sensitive and tunable platforms for a variety of applications, including opto-mechanics7, nanomachinery8 and cavity-induced polaritonic chemistry9.
近日,查尔姆斯理工大学Timur O. Shegai报道了一种微米尺度的自组装方法,该方法基于水溶液中具有吸引力的卡西米尔力和带电的金属纳米片之间产生的斥力的共同作用而实现。该系统形成了一个自组装的光学Fabry-Pérot微腔,在可见光范围内具有基本模式(长程间隔约为100-200nm),以及可调的平衡构型。此外,研究人员通过在微腔区域放置激子材料,可以实现混合轻质态(极化),其性质,如耦合强度和本征态组成,可以通过溶液中配体分子的浓度和光压来进行实时控制。所开发的卡西米尔微腔有望用作各种应用的灵敏和可调谐的平台,包括光力学、纳米机械和空腔诱导的极化化学。