Bismuth: A mexican treasure for Nanophotonics and Plasmonics

Abstract

Nowadays photonic technologies profit enormously from the unique optical response shown by nanophotonic metamaterials based in oxide nanocomposites. The material functional optical response is usually achieved by embedding nano-resonators in the oxide to enable a plasmonic behavior, the nanoresonators usually being metallic. In this presentation I will show how in the Laser Procesing Gropup (https://lpg.io.csic.es/) we have developed lithography-free nanophotonic and plasmonic metamaterials by using pulsed laser deposition techniques. It will be central to my talk a review of the non-conventional plasmonics based on elements of the p-block instead of noble metals such as Ag or Au. The interband transitions in these p-block elements, usually in the infrared, are responsible for their plasmonic response [1,2]. Especial emphasis will be made on bismuth (Bi) nano-resonator structures because Bi shows the strongest interband transitions reported so far for any element of the periodic table, and as a result exhibits a giant refractive index covering the VIS-IR wavelength range [3]. Finally, I will discuss the key elements for the design of plasmonic metamaterials and will show our recent developments including a high-resolution optical thermometry sensor [4], an infrared perfect absorber enabled by sub-wavelength thick films [5], and a tunable light phase metamaterial [6]. My expectation in this talk is to convey my enthusiasm for the photonic potential of Bi, an element that is particularly relevant for the mining in Mexico being the second world producer.