 | Photonic Function of Materials with Nanometer-Sized Structures
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| | | | In the research and development of photonic devices with high performance it is of importance to utilize quantum size effects by down sizing of device elements to a nanometer scale. Semimetal/semiconductor heterostructures are expected to facilitate new physics in quantum confined systems and novel electron devices which are potentially important for future high-speed electronics. Nanocomposites consisting of noble metal nanocrystals and glass are also of great interest because of the enhancement in optical and electrical conductance properties that arise from confinement and quantization of conduction electrons in a restricted geometry. In this project, we explore the possibility of control of electronic, magnetic and photonic properties based on quantum size effects with a short optical pulse in two types of heterogeneous materials. We study i) electron transport and magnetic properties in semimetal/semiconductor heterostructures, and ii) ultrafast nonlinear optical properties in metal nanocrystal/insulator composites. We report on several important developments made in this term. |
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