The coupling between the spin and orbital degrees of freedom of photons is usually very weak, but recent studies have shown that this spin-orbit interaction (SOI) can be easily detected in metal structures. Here we show how the SOI of light is enhanced in plasmonic metal nanostructures, explore the underlying mechanism for this effect, and further demonstrate how it could potentially be harness...

The present research was designed to examine how the presence or absence of ambient light influences the appearance of metal. The stimuli depicted three possible objects that were illuminated by three possible patterns of illumination. These were generated by a single point light source, two rectangular area lights, or projecting light onto a translucent white box that contained the object (and...

We systematically investigate the design of two-dimensional silver (Ag) hemisphere arrays on crystalline silicon (c-Si) ultrathin film solar cells for plasmonic light trapping. The absorption in ultrathin films is governed by the excitation of Fabry-Perot TEMm modes. We demonstrate that metal hemispheres can enhance absorption in the films by (1) coupling light to c-Si film waveguide modes and ...

Various nanocomposites of TiO2, ZnO and ZrO2 decorated single wall Carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were fabricated by facile and template free continuous ultrasonication/stirring of virgin metal oxide nanopowders and SWNTs in ethanol under UV-light illumination. The TEM micrographs showed that nanoparticles (NPs) were uniformly dispersed and bonded on the surface of SWNTs. The results of XRD as well a...

In order to study the space distribution characteristics of light scattering from random rough surfaces, the linear filtering method is used to generate a series of Gaussian randomly rough surfaces, and the Kirchhoff Approximation is used to calculate the scattered light intensity distribution from random metal and dielectric rough surfaces. The three characteristics of the scattered light inte...

Twisted relativistic light pulses with a strong torque and an ultrahigh orbital angular momentum density can in principle be created by shining light pulses onto a specially design thin metal foil, report scientists in China. Theoretical analysis and simulations by Yin Shi and co-workers at the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics predict that when intense pulses with planar wavefron...