Tunable and low-loss correlated plasmons in Mott-like insulating oxides

Teguh Citra Asmara, Dongyang Wan, Yongliang Zhao, Muhammad Aziz Majidi, Christopher T. Nelson, Mary C. Scott, Yao Cai, Bixing Yan, Daniel Schmidt, Ming Yang, Tao Zhu, Paolo E. Trevisanutto, Mallikarjuna R. Motapothula, Yuan Ping Feng, Mark B.H. Breese, Matthew Sherburne, Mark Asta, Andrew Minor, T. Venkatesan, Andrivo Rusydi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

53 Scopus citations

Abstract

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 Sr 1-x Nb 1-y O 3+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.

Original languageEnglish
Article number15271
JournalNature Communications
Volume8
DOIs
StatePublished - May 12 2017
Externally publishedYes

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