Salomon Lab - LIght Matters
Plasmonics, hybrid materials for renewable energy, light matter interaction, aerogels, metallic nanostructures, SHG, surface chemistry, photochemistry
Current research at the Salomon lab is focused on interactions between molecules and light at the nanoscale, and real-time imaging of electrode surfaces as part of INREP
Plasmonics-based surfaces, for sensitive optical detection of impurities in water ("Kamin 2020")
Together with David Zitoun`s lab, we aim to develop sensitive plasmonic substrates for optical detection, which will be used for commercialization, and industry-oriented applications
Applications: Food safety, water safety, counterfeiting, home-land security
Project lead:
Elad Segal
Supported by:
The Israel Innovation Authority (IIA)
Description: Electron-microscope images (top) of plasmonic nano-cavities with special geomtrical features for sensing enhancement, and its illustrative 3D figures (bottom), showing the "hot-spot" area (red) which is exploited for strong electromagnetic field confinement.
Three-Dimensional Metallic Networks – ‘Nano Netals'
We synthesize a large-scale piece of metal with a nanoscale architecture of a three-dimensional (3D) continues network with unique optical properties. The network is made of interconnected metallic nano-sized ligaments of about 50 nm and connective nano-pores. Such 3D metallic networks are colored similar to solution dispersed metallic silver and gold nanoparticles.
Moreover, thick films of about microns exhibit high optical transparency and electrical conductivity.
Applications: Catalysis, renewable energy, capacitors, sensing, non linear optics.
Student: Racheli Ron
Real Time Imaging of Electrodes
Rechargeable batteries are a major issue in renewable energy. Many applications will profit from better battery performance, such as transportation, medical devices, telecommunications etc.
There are many ongoing efforts for the improvement and design of better electrodes. Understanding the interface properties and the surface nano-scale chemistry of these batteries can bring forth improvements that are otherwise not feasible. The challenging setup of an electrochemical system (changes in charge, bulk solution) makes it difficult to gain information in-situ.
Herein we suggest a unique technique to image, in real time and at sub-micron resolution, electrochemical processes occurring in electrode batteries.
Properties of Metallic Nanostructures
What happens when the metallic particles are smaller than the wavelength of light?
Much before scientists set down to study the unique properties of metallic nanoparticles, they had been used by artists in color glass windows.
The colors we see are due to excitation of surface plasmons, which are coherent oscillations of the metal free electrons. The frequencies, at which the electrons oscillate, depend on the metal type, the environment, its size and its shape.
Holes milled in thin metallic films, are complementary structures to metal nanoparticles. They lead to the same phenomena of localized and enhanced electromagnetic field and colorful metallic surfaces.
We study the unique properties of these metallic systems when they interact with light.
Applications: nano antennas, nanolasers, biosensors
Sub-micron plasmonic color generators
Plasmonic devices are promising candidates for the next generation of high resolution displays, due to the outstanding ability of surface plasmons to concentrate strong electromagnetic fields in nano-scale regions.
In our study, we use metallic nano-cavities as “building blocks” to generate colors. The sub-units of these structures can strongly couple to each other, forming new energy levels of the system. By changing the linear polarization of the incident light, the generated color can be inastantly tuned to several different colors within the visible range.
A plasmonic pixel is born.
Applications: Display, sensing, imaging, non linear optics.
Students: Adam Weissman, Elad Segal
Micro RGB pixel matrix
Energy Transfer
In the free space, interactions between molecules occur when they are in close proximity to each other (touching). We will try to reach long range dipole-dipole interactions between molecules by using surface plasmon modes as a mediator for the energy.
Organization of Molecular Systems and/or Nanoparticles on Surfaces
The project deals with organization of molecules, polymers, nano particles, clusters or crystals on surfaces.
Applications: energy transfer, sensing
