Hybrid quantum systems for enhanced nonlinear optical susceptibilities

TL;DR

This paper proposes a theoretical approach to designing hybrid nanostructures combining nanorods and molecules to significantly enhance nonlinear optical susceptibilities near fundamental limits.

Contribution

It introduces a new hybrid system design that leverages molecular dipoles to optimize nonlinear optical responses, providing structural guidelines for experimental realization.

Findings

Hybrid nanorod-molecule system enhances nonlinear response

Structural parameters influence optimization of nonlinear susceptibilities

Guidelines for designing structures close to fundamental limits

Abstract

Significant effort has been expended in the search for materials with ultra-fast nonlinear-optical susceptibilities, but most fall far below the fundamental limits. This work applies a theoretical materials development program that has identified a promising new hybrid made of a nanorod and a molecule. This system uses the electrostatic dipole moment of the molecule to break the symmetry of the metallic nanostructure that shifts the energy spectrum to make it optimal for a nonlinear-optical response near the fundamental limit. The structural parameters are varied to determine the ideal configuration, providing guidelines for making the best structures.