Light-induced electron dynamics in and around metallic nanostructures (A03)

• Subject Area: Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics ; Optics, Quantum Optics and Physics of Atoms, Molecules and Plasmas
• Term: from 2019 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 398816777

Since optical near-field manipulation is mainly achieved by employing field enhancement around metallic tips and within nanogaps between metallic walls, the activities of this project are devoted to a precise theoretical description of light evolution within and around such plasmonic structures. Current, commonly used effective material models are known to fail when reaching atomic dimensions where quantum mechanical nonlocality comes into play. The theory to be developed in this project will go beyond classical schemes thus including quantum effects and optical nonlinearities of the Fermi fluid in metals. This supports experiments in projects B3|Szeghalmi/Tünnermann and B4|Nolte/Zeitner, which investigate light-induced electron tunneling and nonlin-ear optics in atomically thin metallic films. It also supports the projects C1|Huang/Popp and C2|Deckert/Pertsch which are dealing with extreme plasmonic field concentration.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1375: Nonlinear Optics down to Atomic scales (NOA)
• Applicant Institution: Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
• Co-Applicant Institution: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Kurt Busch; Professor Dr. Ulf Peschel