Tunable and low-loss correlated plasmons in Mott-like insulating oxides
- Asmara, Teguh Citra;
- Wan, Dongyang;
- Zhao, Yongliang;
- Majidi, Muhammad Aziz;
- Nelson, Christopher T;
- Scott, Mary C;
- Cai, Yao;
- Yan, Bixing;
- Schmidt, Daniel;
- Yang, Ming;
- Zhu, Tao;
- Trevisanutto, Paolo E;
- Motapothula, Mallikarjuna R;
- Feng, Yuan Ping;
- Breese, Mark BH;
- Sherburne, Matthew;
- Asta, Mark;
- Minor, Andrew;
- Venkatesan, T;
- Rusydi, Andrivo
- et al.
Published Web Location
http://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms15271Abstract
Plasmonics has attracted tremendous interests for its ability to confine light into subwavelength dimensions, creating novel devices with unprecedented functionalities. New plasmonic materials are actively being searched, especially those with tunable plasmons and low loss in the visible-ultraviolet range. Such plasmons commonly occur in metals, but many metals have high plasmonic loss in the optical range, a main issue in current plasmonic research. Here, we discover an anomalous form of tunable correlated plasmons in a Mott-like insulating oxide from the Sr1-xNb1-yO3+δ family. These correlated plasmons have multiple plasmon frequencies and low loss in the visible-ultraviolet range. Supported by theoretical calculations, these plasmons arise from the nanometre-spaced confinement of extra oxygen planes that enhances the unscreened Coulomb interactions among charges. The correlated plasmons are tunable: they diminish as extra oxygen plane density or film thickness decreases. Our results open a path for plasmonics research in previously untapped insulating and strongly-correlated materials.
Many UC-authored scholarly publications are freely available on this site because of the UC's open access policies. Let us know how this access is important for you.