NANOMAGMA

NANOstructured active MAGneto-plasmonic MAterials

 Partecipanti

Mappa

 Word cloud

Esplora la "nuvola delle parole (Word Cloud) per avere un'idea di massima del progetto.

 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The development of a novel concept of nanostructured material is involved in this project: the proper combination of magneto-optical (MO) and plasmonic elements to produce a magneto-plasmonic material tailored on the nanoscale. The novel magneto-plasmonic materials will offer the unique ability to control their properties in more than one way, since the magneto-optical activity will be affected by the alteration of the plasmonic characteristics and the optical response will depend on the magnetic ones. The latter puts an additional advantage over conventional materials, since the optical response can be actively tuned by means of an external agent: a magnetic field. The project has two main goals; the first is to prepare active magneto-plasmonic materials with tailored properties in the nanoscale and understanding the interactions of the magnetic properties with the plasmonic and optical ones, linked to electric charge oscillations. The second goal is to develop prototypes of applications that can benefit of this coupling. Since it is expected that the optical properties of these materials can be driven by using a magnetic field, this will allow designing and developing novel magneto-plasmonic devices. In particular, as a proof of the applicability of this concept, we will design, fabricate and test a prototype of a new kind of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor with MO elements, i.e. a surface magneto-plasmon resonance (SMPR) biosensor, comparing its performance against standard biosensors.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Scientists have developed a novel technology combining optical and magnetic manipulation of surface electrons. The new tool promises enhanced biological and chemical sensing capabilities together with applications in telecommunications.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is a relatively new biosensing tool that enables the measurement of biomolecular interactions in real-time without the use of labels or dyes. Resonance refers to the synchronised oscillations of free electrons (surface plasmons) at their natural frequency of oscillation when stimulated by light at that same resonant (natural) frequency. This resonance results in absorption of light. By altering the angle of incidence and other parameters, important information can be obtained about molecular changes such as those that occur when one molecule binds another.

Manipulating atoms and molecules enables control of the nanostructure (very, very small-scale structure) of materials. Scientists are building on the concept of SPR, an optical phenomenon, by combining magneto-optical (MO) and plasmonics elements. The novel materials with functionality tailored at the nano scale will enable active tuning of the optical response with an applied magnetic field, something not possible with conventional materials.

EU funding of the 'Nanostructured active magneto-plasmonic materials' (Nanomagma) project has provided scientists the opportunity to study coupling of magnetic properties with plasmonics and optical ones.

To further their research objectives, the consortium has developed theoretical tools for magneto-plasmonic (MP) modelling and an optical microscope capable of operating in magnetic fields. They fabricated novel MP structures with significantly improved MO activity when combined with induced SPR.

With better understanding of coupling, investigators designed and developed two new SPR biosensors with MO elements. The surface magneto-plasmon resonance (SMPR) biosensor prototypes demonstrated improved gas sensing and biosensing activity. Scientists also identified applications at telecommunications wavelengths for integrated photonic circuits.

The sensors are expected to have important impact on food safety and health. The portable units enable cost-effective and rapid in-field assessment of food quality prior to cooking, for example in schools and hospitals. The photonics applications should prove particularly relevant in compact integrated electronics given that photonics are expected to merge with conventional complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) microelectronics in the coming years. The final project phase will be dedicated to dissemination activities.