Plasmonic nanostructures can enhance light-matter interactions in the subwavelength domain, which is useful for photodetection, light emission, optical biosensing, and spectroscopy. However, conventional plasmonic devices are optimized to operate in a single wavelength band, which is not efficient for wavelength-multiplexed operations and quantum optical applications involving multi-photon nonlinear processes at multiple wavelength bands. Overcoming the limitations of single-resonant plasmonics requires development of plasmonic devices that can enhance the optical interactions at the same locations but at different resonance wavelengths. This dissertation comprehensively studies the theory, design, and applications of such devices, called "multiresonant plasmonic systems with spatial mode overlap". We start by a literature review to elucidate the importance of this topic as well as its current and potential applications. Then, we briefly discuss the fundamentals of plasmonic resonances and mode hybridization to thoroughly explore, classify, and compare the different architectures of the multiresonant plasmonic systems with spatial mode overlap. Also, we establish the black-box coupled mode theory to quantify the coupling of optical modes and analyze the complicated dynamics of optical interactions in multiresonant plasmonic systems. Next, we introduce the nanolaminate plasmonic crystals (NPCs), wafer-scale metamaterials structures that support many (>10) highly-excitable plasmonic modes with spatial overlap across the visible and near-infrared optical bands. The enabling factors behind the NPC's superior performance as multiresonant systems are also theoretically and experimentally investigated. After that, we experimentally demonstrate the NPCs application in simultaneous second harmonic generation and anti-Stokes photoluminescence (ASPL) with controllable nonlinear emission properties. By designing specific non-linear optical experiments and developing advanced ASPL models, this work addresses some important but previously unresolved questions on the ASPL mechanism as well. Finally, we conclude the dissertation by discussing the potential applications of out-of-plane plasmonic systems with spatial mode overlap in wavelength-multiplexed devices and presenting some preliminary results. / Doctor of Philosophy / Emergence of electronic devices such as cellphones and computers has revolutionized our lifestyles over the past century. By manipulating the flow/storage of electrons at the nanometer scale, electronic components can be very compact, but their speed and energy performance is ultimately limited due to ohmic losses and finite velocity of the electrons. In parallel, photonic devices and circuits have been proposed that by molding the flow of light can overcome the mentioned limitations but are not as integrable as their electronic counterparts. Plasmonics is an emerging research field that combines electronics and photonics using nanostructures that can couple the light waves to the free electrons in metals. By confining the light at deep subwavelength scales, plasmonic devices can highly enhance the light-matter interactions, with applications in ultrafast optical communications, energy-harvesting, optical sensing, and biodetection. Conventionally, plasmonic devices are optimized to operate with a single light color, which limits their performance in wavelength-multiplexed operations and ultrafast non-linear optics. For such applications, it is far more efficient to use the more advanced "multiresonant plasmonic systems with spatial mode overlap" that can enhance the optical interactions at the same locations but for multiple light colors. This dissertation comprehensively studies these systems in terms of the fundamental concepts, design ideas, and applications. Our work advances the plasmonic field from both science and technology perspectives. In particular, we explore and classify the strategies of building multiresonant plasmonic systems with spatial mode overlap for the first time. Also, we establish the black-box coupled mode theory, a novel framework for analysis and design of complicated plasmonic structures with optimized performance. Furthermore, we introduce the "nanolaminate plasmonic crystals" (NPCs), large area and cost-effective devices that can enhance the optical processes for both visible and near-infrared lights. Finally, we demonstrate NPCs ability in simultaneous frequency-doubling and broadband emission of light and come up with advanced theoretical models that can explain the light generation and color conversion in plasmonic devices.

Submitted by dayse paz (daysepaz@hotmail.com) on 2016-04-06T11:50:24Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Disserta_o_Cristiane_Carvalho.pdf: 1091025 bytes, checksum: 71418d6d8927740542513191376e2254 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by cleuza maria medina dos santos (cleuzamai@yahoo.com.br) on 2016-05-09T14:26:19Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Disserta_o_Cristiane_Carvalho.pdf: 1091025 bytes, checksum: 71418d6d8927740542513191376e2254 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-09T14:26:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Disserta_o_Cristiane_Carvalho.pdf: 1091025 bytes, checksum: 71418d6d8927740542513191376e2254 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Em lagos as macrófitas aquáticas são importantes fontes de matéria orgânica detrital, aumentam a complexidade do hábitat proporcionando vários nichos ecológicos a uma diversidade de espécies animais. Durante do processo de decomposição, a colonização dos detritos passa por uma sucessão ecológica entre fungos, bactérias e invertebrados, sendo seu papel fundamental para promover a circulação dos nutrientes. Assim, essa dissertação objetivou: (1) analisar os coeficientes de decomposição e a composição química dos detritos de duas macrófitas, a fim de verificar os efeitos dessas características sobre a biomassa fúngica e invertebrados; (2) analisar se o local de incubação das bolsas dos detritos influencia o recurso de hábitat e sobreposição espacial, interferindo na estrutura funcional da comunidade colonizadora. Para tanto foram realizados dois experimentos. Para o experimento 1 (setembro à dezembro de 2011), incubamos 24 bolsas de Potamogeton pectinatus e 24 de Chara zeylanica e retiradas em 1, 7, 20, 40, 60 e 80 dias. O material foi lavado, seco e triturado para análises químicas e determinação dos coeficientes de decomposição. A biomassa fúngica foi avaliada através do conteúdo de ergosterol. Para o experimento 2 (janeiro de 2012), foram incubadas 60 bolsas aleatoriamente divididas em 4 tratamentos, onde 15 bolsas contendo detritos de P. pectinatus foram incubadas em meio ao próprio estande (PP); 15 bolsas no estande de C. zeylanica (PC); 15 bolsas com detritos de C. zeylanica (CC) incubadas em meio ao seu estande e 15 no estande de P. pectinatus (CP), sendo retiradas em 5, 10 e 20 dias. Em ambos os estudos, os invertebrados foram classificados em grupos tróficos funcionais e determinadas a riqueza e abundância. As características químicas explicaram 59% da variação na abundância de invertebrados. A biomassa fúngica nos detritos não diferiu. A maior abundância e riqueza de invertebrados ocorreram nos detritos de P. pectinatus para o experimento 1 e nos detritos incubados em meio ao seu próprio estande (experimento 2). Houve diferença na perda de massa entre os tratamentos e entre detritos. A maior abundância na composição funcional foi de coletores - catadores e predadores, em ambos os estudos. Houve menor sobreposição espacial entre os grupos tróficos nos tratamentos em relação a PP. Nosso estudo demonstrou que os as características químicas e os coeficientes de decomposição interferem na colonização de invertebrados, relacionado ao tempo de incubação dos detritos. Além disso, o local de incubação afetou os coeficientes de decomposição e a estruturação da comunidade de invertebrados, relacionado à disponibilidade de hábitat oferecido pelos tratamentos. / In lakes the macrophytes are important sources of detrital organic matter, increase the complexity of providing various habitat niches to a variety of animal species. During the colonization process of decomposition of the waste undergoes an ecological succession among fungi, bacteria and invertebrates, and its key role in promoting the circulation of nutrients. Thus, this thesis aimed to: (1) analyze the decomposition rates and chemical composition of the detritus of two macrophytes in order to verify the effects of these characteristics on the fungal biomass and invertebrates, (2) examine if the site of the bags of incubation detritus influences the use and habitat overlap of space, affecting the functional structure of the settler community. Therefore, we performed two experiments. For experiment 1 (September to December, 2011), incubated 24 bags of Potamogeton pectinatus and 24 Chara zeylanica and withdrawn at 1, 7, 20, 40, 60 and 80 days. The material was washed, dried and ground for chemical analyzes and determination of the coefficients of decomposition. The fungal biomass was evaluated through the content of ergosterol. For experiment 2 (January, 2012), 60 bags were incubated randomly assigned to 4 treatments, where 15 bags of debris containing P. pectinatus were incubated in medium to own booth (PP); 15 scholarships in booth C. zeylanica (PC), 15 bags of detritus C. zeylanica (CC) incubated in the midst of its stand and 15 at the P. pectinatus (CP) and taken in 5, 10 and 20 days. In both studies, the invertebrates were classified into functional trophic groups and certain richness and abundance. The chemical characteristics explained 59% of variation in abundance of invertebrates. The fungal biomass in waste did not differ. The greatest abundance and diversity of invertebrates occurred in the debris of P. pectinatus for experiment 1 and incubated debris amidst its own booth (experiment 2). Was no difference in weight loss between treatments and among detritus. The highest abundance was in the functional composition of collectors - scavengers and predators, in both studies. There was a lower spatial overlap between trophic groups in treatments against PP. Our study demonstrated that the chemical characteristics and the coefficients of decomposition interfere with colonization of invertebrates, related to incubation time of detritus. Furthermore, the location of incubation affected the decomposition rates and invertebrate community structure, related to the availability of habitat offered by the treatments.