Events

Photonic Metamaterials, Nano- plasmonics and Superlens

April 8, 2009 at 3pm/36-428

Xiang Zhang
NSF Nano-scale Science and Engineering Center (NSEC), University of California, Berkeley

abstract:
Recent theory predicted a new class of meta structures made of engineered sub wavelength entities – meta “atoms” and “molecules” which enable the unprecendented electromagnetic properties that do not exist in the nature such as optical magentism and artificial plasma. Especially, the predicted superlens made of metamaterials breaks the fundamental diffraction limit, which may have profound impacts in wide a range of applications such as nano-scale imaging, nanolithography, and ultra-density data storage.

I’ll discuss a few recent experiments that demonstrated these intriguing physics. We created the first bulk optical metamaterials that show the negative refractions. We demonstrated the unique superlens and hyperlens using careful design of plasmonic materials dispersions. I will further discuss a new technology based on superlens for nano-scale lithography that may transform the next generation of nano-manufacturing, along with nano plasmonics for imaging and bio-sensing. The surface plasmon indeed promises an exciting engineering paradigm of “x-ray wavelength at optical frequency”.

bio:
Professor Xiang Zhang is Chancellor’s Professor at UC Berkeley and the Director of NSF Nano-scale Science and Engineering Center (NSEC) which includes Berkeley-UCLA-Stanford-MIT-Northwestern-UNCC. He also served as Director of Department of Defense MURI Center on Metamaterials and Devices that includes Berkeley-MIT-UCLA-UCSD-Duke-Imperial College (UK). He is also a Faculty Scientist at Materials Science Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) of US Department of Energy. His current research focused on nano-scale science and technology, meta- materials, nano-photonics and bio-technologies. He has published more than 150 technical papers including publications in Science and Nature. He has given over 120 invited, keynote and plenary talks at international conferences and institutions. Professor Zhang is on editorial boards of three journals. He served as a Co-Chair of NSF Nanoscale Science and Engineering Annual Grantee Conferences in 2004 and 2005, Chair of Technical Program of IEEE 2nd International Conference on Micro and Nano Engineered and Molecular Systems in 2007, and Vice Chair of Advisory Board for The Research Center for Applied Science (RCAS), China Academy of Science (SINICA), Taiwan, ROC. He also served as a reviewer for MacArthur Fellowship, and journals such as Science, Nature, and Physical Review Letters, etc.

Professor Zhang’s research has been selected to be one of Top Ten Nanotechnology Breakthroughs in 2005, and Fast Breaking Papers, as one of the most cited recent papers in Physics in 2006, and R&D Magazine’s top 25 the Most Innovative Products of 2006. His work on superlens was selected as “Top 100 Science Stories” in 2007 by Discover Magazine. In 2008, his research in realization of optical negative refraction was selected by Times Magazine as “Top 50 Innovations of the Year”, as well as “Top 100 Science Stories” by Discover Magazine. His research was frequently and widely featured by media by international media including BBC News, CNN, ABC, CNBC, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Times (London), Los Angeles Times, etc., as well as professional magazines as Physics Today, Scientific American, MRS Bulletin (Materials Research Society), Photonics Spectra, Materials Today, Physics Web, R&D Magazine, MIT Technology Review. Professor Zhang is a recipient of NSF CAREER Award (1997); Engineering Foundation Award (1997); SME Dell K. Allen Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award (1998) and ONR Young Investigator Award (1999). He was selected as a “Distinguished Lecturer” at University of Texas at Austin in 2004 and SEMETECH in 2005. He received his PhD from UC Berkeley. He was an assistant professor at Pennsylvania State University, and associate professor and full professor at UCLA prior to joining Berkeley in 2004.