Ultrafast Nanoplasmonics: Toward Coherently Controlled Chemistry at the
Time-space Limit
November 3, 2015 at 4:30 PM/ RLE Haus 36-428
*Tamar Seideman*
*Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Illinois*
[image: seideman]
Electronics has long reached the molecular scale; not only do
single-molecule junctions exhibit interesting conduction behaviors that
have no analog in macroscopic electronics, they can also be tailored to
induce a variety of fascinating dynamical processes in the molecular
moiety, with potential applications ranging from new forms of molecular
machines and new modes of conduction, to new directions in surface
nanochemistry and nanolithography. Nevertheless, the application of light
to control molecular motions and electronic transport in junctions may
offer advantages, since photonic (by contrast to electronic) sources allow
(sub)femtosecond time resolution and tunable phase and polarization
properties. One of several challenges, however, is the requirement of
coherent light sources that are tightly localized in space. It is here that
plasmonics offer an opportunity.
In the talk, I will combine plasmonics physics with concepts and tools
borrowed from coherent, strong field control of molecular dynamics with two
goals in mind. One is to introduce new function into nanoplasmonics,
including ultrafast elements and broken symmetry elements. The second is to
develop coherent nanoscale sources and apply them to control both
mechanical motions and electric transport in the nanoscale. Focusing on the
combination with molecules, I will discuss ongoing research on
plasmon-exciton interactions in the strong coupling limit. To conclude the
talk, I will return to nanoelectronics, and illustrate the application of
plasmonics to control of transport in the nanoscale, with a view to
ultrafast electric switches.
*Tamar Seideman* is a Dow Chemical Company Professor in Chemistry and a
Professor of Physics at Northwestern University. She received a B.Sc.
degree (summa cum laude) in 1982 from the Tel-Aviv University, a M.Sc.
(summa cum laude) in 1985 from the Weizmann Institute of Science, and a
Ph.D. (summa cum laude) in 1990 from the Weizmann Institute of Science. She
is a member of the National Academy of Science of Germany, a Fellow of the
American Physical Society, a Guggenheim Fellow, a Member of the Willard
Gibbs Award Jury, (elected July 2013), a member at large of the Division of
the Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics of the APS, and a member of the
Atomic and Molecular Physics Committee of the National Academies. Her
research was recognized with numerous international awards and honors,
including a Wetson Award (2015-2018), a Mildred Dresselhaus Award for
Senior Scientists (2013 first recipient), a Sackelr Award (2011), a senior
A. von Humboldt Award (2004-2009), a Weston Award (2007-2009), an Emerson
Award (1996-1997), a Wegner Award (1996), a Brener award, a J.F. Kennedy
award, a Fulbright Research Award, a Chaim Weizmann Fellowship, the Knesset
of Israel Award Prize, a Galilei Distinguished Lecturer Award, and a
Windsor Distinguished Lecturer Award. She is the author of 245 refereed
publications.
Among Seideman’s research interests are quantum transport, current-driven
nanochemistry and molecular machines; ultrafast nanoplasmonics and
information guidance in the nanoscale; approaches to solar energy
conversion; coherent control and coherence spectroscopies in isolated
molecules and in dissipative media; attosecond science and the interaction
of matter with intense laser fields; photomanipulation of external and
internal molecular modes; and mathematical method development.
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