Measurements of atomic parity violation provide important cross-tests of the standard model of electroweak interactions by probing these interactions in the domain of low energies. The effects of parity nonconservation in atoms, both dependent and not dependent on nuclear spin, have been successfully measured in experiments. The existence of permanent electric dipole moment (EDM) of a quantum particle requires that fundamental parity (P) and time-reversal (T) symmetries are violated. By the CPT theorem, this would mean violation of the combined CP (charge conjugation-parity) symmetry as well. Studies of T and CP violation in nature provide valuable information for theories of baryogenesis, and for understanding of fundamental interactions in general. Recently, a new wave of experiments has been initiated to measure the effects of P and T violation in solid state materials. The possibility to substantially increase the experimental sensitivity lies in the larger number of particles compared to the atomic experiments and in the specific collective effects in solids. The downside is the typically larger level of systematics. In the present work, the following effects due to violation of T and P at fundamental level in solids are considered: (a) effects due to the nuclear weak charge (violation of P) in rare-earth trifluorides, a possibility exists to measure the Weinberg angle with high precision; (b) effects due to the nuclear anapole moment (nuclear spin-dependent violation of P) in praseodymium and thulium garnets, the NMR-type experiments can possibly be used to measure nuclear anapole moments of Pr and Tm; (c) effects due to the electron EDM in gadolinium garnets, increase of the experimental sensitivity to the electron EDM of several orders of magnitude is possible; (d) effects due to the nuclear Schiff moment of 207Pb in ferroelectric lead-titanate; this possibility looks particularly promising, offering a potential 10 orders of magnitude increase of sensitivity to the nuclear Schiff moment, which puts the standard model prediction for this value within experimental reach. Also discussed are several other possibilities for experimental observation of these effects and the impact of some possible systematic effects on the proposed measurements.

Designing photonic-plasmonic nanostructures with desirable electromagnetic properties is a central problem in modern photonics engineering. As limited by available materials, engineering geometry of optical materials at both element and array levels becomes the key to solve this problem. In this thesis, I present my work on the development of novel methods and design strategies for photonic-plasmonic structures and metamaterials, including novel Green’s matrix-based spectral methods for predicting the optical properties of large-scale nanostructures of arbitrary geometry. From engineering elements to arrays, I begin my thesis addressing toroidal electrodynamics as an emerging approach to enhance light absorption in designed nanodisks by geometrically creating anapole configurations using high-index dielectric materials. This work demonstrates enhanced absorption rates driven by multipolar decomposition of current distributions involving toroidal multipole moments for the first time. I also present my work on designing helical nano-antennas using the rigorous Surface Integral Equations method. The helical nano-antennas feature unprecedented beam-forming and polarization tunability controlled by their geometrical parameters, and can be understood from the array perspective. In these projects, optimization of optical performances are translated into systematic study of identifiable geometric parameters. However, while array-geometry engineering presents multiple advantages, including physical intuition, versatility in design, and ease of fabrication, there is currently no rigorous and efficient solution for designing complex resonances in large-scale systems from an available set of geometrical parameters. In order to achieve this important goal, I developed an efficient numerical code based on the Green’s matrix method for modeling scattering by arbitrary arrays of coupled electric and magnetic dipoles, and show its relevance to the design of light localization and scattering resonances in deterministic aperiodic geometries. I will show how universal properties driven by the aperiodic geometries of the scattering arrays can be obtained by studying the spectral statistics of the corresponding Green’s matrices and how this approach leads to novel metamaterials for the visible and near-infrared spectral ranges. Within the thesis, I also present my collaborative works as examples of direct and inverse designs of nanostructures for photonics applications, including plasmonic sensing, optical antennas, and radiation shaping.

<p dir="ltr">Parity non-conversation experiments provide a method to explore the weak interaction. Precision measurements of the weak interaction will lead to more limitations on beyond the standard model theories. Our lab will use a two-color coherent control to help us to extract the small amplitude of the weak interaction between the nucleons of the cesium nucleus. In this dissertation, I will discuss how our lab is investigating the anapole moment in cesium using rf and laser fields, along with future steps to finish the measurement.</p>

[ES] Las nanopartículas de alto índice admiten multipolos electromagnéticos que determinan su respuesta a una onda incidente. Cuando se excitan diferentes multipolos, estos pueden interferir, dando lugar a fenómenos sorprendentes. Por ejemplo, a partir de la oscilación en antifase del dipolo toroidal y eléctrico (o magnético) cartesiano o de los correspondientes multipolos de orden superior surgen los llamados estados anapolares, caracterizados por una reducción sustancial de la dispersión de campo lejano y una fuerte localización de la energía dentro del disco. Una de las estructuras de alto índice más sencillas que soportan la interferencia multipolar es el disco, que se puede construir fácilmente sobre un sustrato de sílice utilizando herramientas estándar de nanofabricación de silicio. La mayoría de los estudios de estados de anapolos en discos dieléctricos de alto índice han abordado anapolos que pueden excitarse bajo iluminación normal, pero la incidencia en el plano es necesaria para construir circuitos integrados fotónicos de silicio cuando la luz está completamente unida al plano del chip. En esta tesis investigamos mediante simulaciones numéricas anexas a medidas experimentales la aparición de interferencias multipolares en discos de silicio cuando excitamos en el plano a través de guías de ondas. Primero, investigamos los efectos en discos aislados del tamaño de una sublongitud de onda y luego ampliamos nuestra investigación a cadenas periódicas unidimensionales. Bajo la excitación en el plano de un disco de silicio del tamaño de una sublongitud de onda, observamos anapolos magnéticos y eléctricos de varios órdenes, cambiando la geometría del sistema. Curiosamente, observamos un desacoplamiento del mínimo en la dispersión de campo lejano y el máximo de localización de energía en el disco, que tienen lugar en longitudes de onda bien separadas para la excitación en el plano del anapolo en comparación con el caso de incidencia normal habitual. Por otro lado, a través de la excitación del dipolo toroidal, demostramos la transmisión eficiente por encima del cono de luz en una estructura periódica formada por discos de silicio del tamaño de una sublongitud de onda. Finalmente, predecimos el cierre de la banda prohibida de Bragg debido a la interacción entre dipolos eléctricos y magnéticos en una estructura periódica formada por nanobloques de silicio. Nuestros resultados resaltan diferencias significativas entre las interferencias multipolares cuando las partículas se iluminan desde diferentes direcciones y tienen implicaciones directas para el uso de discos del tamaño de la longitud de onda en circuitos integrados fotónicos de alto índice para aplicaciones que van desde la biodetección y la espectroscopia hasta el procesamiento de señales no lineales. / [CA] Les nanopartícules d'alt índex admeten multipols electromagnètics que determinen la seua resposta a una ona incident. Quan s'exciten diferents multipols, aquests poden interferir, donant lloc a fenòmens sorprenents. Per exemple, a partir de l'oscil·lació en antifase del dipol toroidal i elèctric (o magnètic) cartesià, o dels corresponents multipols d'ordre superior, sorgeixen els anomenats estats anapolars, caracteritzats per una reducció substancial de la dispersió de camp llunyà i una forta localització de l'energia dins del disc. Una de les estructures d'alt índex més senzilles que suporten la interferència multipolar és el disc, que es pot construir fàcilment sobre un substrat de sílice utilitzant eines estàndard de nano fabricació de silici. La majoria dels estudis d'estats d'anapols en discos dielèctrics d'alt índex han abordat anapols que poden excitar-se sota il·luminació normal, però la incidència en el pla és necessària per a construir circuits integrats fotònics de silici quan la llum està completament unida al pla del xip. En aquesta tesi investiguem mitjançant simulacions numèriques annexes a mesures experimentals l'aparició d'interferències multipolars en discos de silici quan excitem en el pla a través de guies d'ones. Primer, investiguem els efectes en discos aïllats de la grandària d'una sublongitud d'ona i després ampliem la nostra investigació a cadenes periòdiques unidimensionals. Sota l'excitació en el pla d'un disc de silici de la grandària d'una sublongitud d'ona, observem anapols magnètics i elèctrics de diversos ordres, canviant la geometria del sistema. Curiosament, observem un desacoblament del mínim en la dispersió de camp llunyà i el màxim de localització d'energia en el disc, que tenen lloc en longituds d'ona ben separades per a l'excitació en el pla del anapol en comparació amb el cas d'incidència normal habitual. D'altra banda, a través de l'excitació del dipol toroidal, vam demostrar la transmissió eficient per damunt del con de llum en una estructura periòdica formada per discos de silici de la grandària d'una sublongitud d'ona. Finalment, prediem el tancament de la banda prohibida de Bragg a causa de la interacció entre dipols elèctrics i magnètics en una estructura periòdica formada per nanobloques de silici. Els nostres resultats ressalten diferències significatives entre les interferències multipolars quan les partícules s'il·luminen des de diferents direccions i tenen implicacions directes per a l'ús de discos de la grandària de la longitud d'ona en circuits integrats fotònics d'alt índex per a aplicacions que van des de la biodetecció i l'espectroscòpia fins al processament de senyals no lineals. / [EN] High-index nanoparticles support electromagnetic multipoles that determine their response to an incident wave. When different multipoles are excited, they can interfere, giving rise to surprising phenomena. For example, from the antiphase oscillation of the Cartesian toroidal and electric (or magnetic) dipole or the corresponding higher-order multipoles arise the so-called anapole states, characterized by a substantial reduction in the far-field scattering and a strong localization of energy inside the disk. One of the simplest high-index structures supporting multipolar interference is the disk, which can be easily built on a silica substrate using standard silicon nanofabrication tools. Most studies of anapole states in high-index dielectric disks have addressed anapoles that can be excited under normal illumination, but the in-plane incidence is necessary for building silicon photonic integrated circuits (PICs) when light is completely bound to the chip plane. In this thesis, we investigate via numerical simulations annex experimental measurements the appearance of multipolar interferences in silicon disks when we excited in-plane through waveguides. First, we investigate the effects on isolated subwavelength-sized disks and then extend our investigation to one-dimensional (1D) periodic chains. Under the in-plane excitation of a silicon subwavelength-sized disk, we observe magnetic and electric anapoles of various orders, changing the geometry of the system. Interestingly, we observed a decoupling of the minimum in the far-field scattering and the maximum of energy localization in the disk, which takes place at well-separated wavelengths for in-plane excitation of the anapole as compared to the usual normal incidence case. On the other hand, through the excitation of the toroidal dipole, we demonstrate the efficient transmission above the light cone in a periodic structure formed by silicon subwavelength-sized disks. Finally, we predict the closure of the Bragg bandgap due to the interaction between electric and magnetic dipoles in a periodic structure formed by silicon nanobricks. Our results highlight significant differences between multipoles interferences when the particles are illuminated from different directions and have direct implications for the use of wavelength-size disks in high-index PICs for applications ranging from biosensing and spectroscopy to nonlinear signal processing. / Debo agradecer a la Generalitat Valenciana que con su programa de becas Santiago Grisolía GRISOLIAP/2018/164 me permitió comenzar este camino. Al Instituto de Tecnología Nanofotónica y a la Universidad Politécnica de Valencia por darme la oportu- nidad de labrar mi camino hacia el título de Doctor of Philosophy in Telecommunications Engineering en sus instalaciones. / Díaz Escobar, E. (2023). Investigation of Multipolar Interference in Silicon Disks for on-Chip Photonics [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/192830