This paper discusses recent theoretical efforts to develop a general and flexible method for the calculation of the field distributions around and inside complex optical systems involving both dielectric and metallic materials. Starting from the usual light-matter coupling Hamiltonian, we derive a self-consistent equation for the optical field in arbitrary optical systems composed of N differen...

Ultra-small all-optical switches are of importance in highly integrated optical communication and computing networks. However, the weak nonlinear light-matter interactions in natural materials present an enormous challenge to realize efficiently switching for the ultra-short interaction lengths. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a submicron bidirectional all-optical plasmonic switch with an a...

Colloidal crystals offer a promising route for the formation of three-dimensional photonic crystals. The primary constraint in working with these materials is the disorder present in these self-assembled materials. Sphere vacancies, line dislocations, and random position errors all lead to a degradation in the optical properties. It is important to characterize these effects so as to guide furt...

The heat transport in a system of S=1/2 large-J Heisenberg spin chains, describing closely Sr(2)CuO(3) and SrCuO(2) cuprates, is studied theoretically at T≪J by considering interactions of the bosonized spin excitations with optical phonons and defects. Treating rigorously the multiboson processes, we derive a microscopic spin-phonon scattering rate that adheres to an intuitive picture of phono...

To shed light on intramolecular charge-transfer phenomena in 1,2,3-triazole-linked materials, a series of 1,2,3-triazole-linked push-pull chromophores were prepared and studied experimentally and computationally. Investigated modifications include variation of donor and/or acceptor strength and linker moiety as well as regioisomers. Photophysical characterization of intramolecular charge-transf...

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been intensively studied over the past decade because they represent a new category of hybrid inorganic-organic materials with extensive surface areas, ultrahigh porosity, along with the extraordinary tailorability of structure, shape and dimensions. In this highlight, we summarize the current state of MOF research and report on structure-property relationsh...

The behaviour of materials under spatial confinement is sensitively dependent on the nature of the confining boundaries. In two dimensions, confinement within a hard circular boundary inhibits the hexagonal ordering observed in bulk systems at high density. Using colloidal experiments and Monte Carlo simulations, we investigate two model systems of quasi hard discs under circularly symmetric co...

In this article, we provide a detailed guide to the construction of a convertible optical trapping system for either single-beam or counter-propagating trap. The single-beam trap maintains all the functionalities that a conventional optical tweezer has. While the counter-propagating trap allows for the trapping of particles that single-beam trap cannot handle. The counter-propagating trap can b...

This paper describes a new class of structured optical materials--lattice opto-materials--that can manipulate the flow of visible light into a wide range of three-dimensional profiles using evolutionary design principles. Lattice opto-materials are based on the discretization of a surface into a two-dimensional (2D) subwavelength lattice whose individual lattice sites can be controlled to achie...

Biophotonics can be defined as the interplay of light and biological matter. The percolation of new optical technology into the realm of biology has literally shed new light into the inner workings of biological systems. This has revealed new applications for optics in biology. In a parallel trend, biomolecules have been investigated for their optical applications. Materials are playing a centr...