Project coordinator: Dr. Phys. Aivars Vembris
Leading participant:
Total cost: 300 000 EUR
Duration (years): 2020-2022
LZP FLPP No. lzp-2019/1-0441
Organic compounds have great potential in light amplification and modulation applications in the field of a sensor (lab-on-chip, gas sensor) or communication (light source, light modulators). But it is still on the way of commercialisation due to the low stability or efficiency of the organic compounds, or size of the structure. Introduction of metal nanoparticles or nanostructures in organic material is one of the possible solutions for previously mentioned issues. Surface plasmon resonance of metal nanostructures improves light emission and modulation efficiency of organic compounds and can increase the sensitivity of the system. This fundamental project is devoted to develop and investigate novel organic compound/metal nanoparticle or nanostructure systems for enhancing light amplification and modulation properties in a red and infrared spectral region. The project will last for three years, during which metal nanoparticle synthesis and metal nanostructuring will be carried out in the first year. The most appropriate nanoparticles/nanostructures will be selected for the preparation of organic compound/nanoparticle systems. The systems will be evaluated from the optical properties measurements. The best of the systems will be used to measure light amplification or modulation properties. The gained knowledge about the interaction between the metal nanoparticle/nanostructures and organic compound will be one of the results of the project.
Project progress
30.09.2022
- Participation in META 2022 with report “Light amplification in silver nanoparticles containing organic luminophore thin films”,
- Reproducibility tests of metal nanoparticle synthesis processes.
30.06.2022
- Participation in the SPIE Photonics Europe conference with oral reports " Enhancement of photoluminescence properties in silver nanoparticles based organic luminophores " and “Investigations of spontaneous and stimulated emission properties of original glass-forming pyranyliden derivatives in thin films with and without silver nanoparticles”, as well as stand report "Nonlinear optical properties of core-shell silver nanoparticles with sodium citrate and ligand claddings”, “SU-8 waveguide thermo-optical coefficient depending on size and coating”, “Amplification of organic semiconductor luminescence in thin films with silver nanoparticles” and “ Laser gain medium of DCM derivatives in active matrix”,
- A conference papers entitled " Enhancement of photoluminescence properties in silver nanoparticles based organic luminophores", "Nonlinear optical properties of core-shell silver nanoparticles with sodium citrate and ligand claddings" and Amplification of organic semiconductor luminescence in thin films with silver nanoparticles" were published in the Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering.
31.03.2022
- Theses were submitted to the conference 12th International Conference on Metamaterials, Photonic Crystals and Plasmonics META2022 with the topic “Light amplification in silver nanoparticles containing organic luminophore thin films ",
- The article “Sodium citrate and polyvinylpyrrolidone captured silver nanoparticles transfer to organic solvents " was submitted to Physica E: Low-dimensional Systems and Nanostructure.
- We studied the influence of thermal effects on the change in refractive index of nanoparticles coated with sodium citrate/PVP or ligand. It was concluded that the sodium citrate/PVP coating conducts heat away from the nanoparticles better, reducing their heating due to light absorption.
- The article "Impact of silver nanoparticle two-photon resonance on Kerr effect of organic dye solution" was published in Journal of the Optical Society of America B: Optical Physics.
30.12.2021
- Theses were submitted to the conference SPIE Photonics Europe with the topic " Enhancement of photoluminescence properties in silver nanoparticles based organic luminophores ",
- Luminescence enhancement was studied in nanoparticles doped organic luminophore thin films
- Theses were submitted to the conference SPIE Photonics Europe with the topic "Nonlinear optical properties of core-shell silver nanoparticles with sodium citrate and ligand claddings",
- Participation in the SPIE/COS Photonics Asia conference with a stand report "Nonlinear optical properties of silver nanoparticles: separating thermo-optical and Kerr effects",
- The conference paper Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering entitled "Nonlinear optical properties of silver nanoparticles: separating thermo-optical and Kerr effects" has been published.
30.09.2021
- Luminescence enhancement was studied in nanoparticles doped organic luminophore solvents
- Method of nanoparticles doped organics luminophore thin film preparation was developed.
- Submitted article "Impact of silver nanoparticle two-photon resonance on Kerr effect of organic dye solutions" in Journal of the Optical Society of America B: Optical Physics.
- Z-scan measurements were carried out for nanoparticles with two different coatings - sodium citrate/PVP or ligand.
30.06.2021
1. Report and manuscript titled “Light amplification by silver nanoparticles surface plasmon resonance” preparation for participation in Conference on Metamaterials, Photonic Crystals and Plasmonics 2021. Warsaw, Poland.
2. Photoluminescence quantum yield, emission and excitation spectra, luminescence lifetime measurements in system “luminophore DWK-1-TB/ silver nanoparticles” in dependence on nanoparticles concentration and surface plasmon resonance spectral range in solution and thin films are performed using Edinburgh Instruments photoluminescence spectrometer FLS1000.
3. Writing of mid-term project report.
31.03.2021
1. An abstract titled “Light amplification by silver nanoparticles surface plasmon resonance” submitted to META 2021, the International Conference on Metamaterials, Photonic Crystals and Plasmonics, Poland, Warsaw, 20-23 July.
2. Research results were presented in two conferences:
- R. Sīlis, J. Mikelsone, A. Vembris, “Enhancement of semiconductor luminescence by surface plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles”, Institute of Solid State Physics University of Latvia, the 37. Scientific conference, Riga, Latvia, 2021, 23. - 25. February, abstract book p. 29.
- Silis Raivis, Mikelsone Jelena, Vembris Aivars, “Enhancement of organic compounds luminescence by surface plasmon resonance”, DOC-2021, 17th international young scientist conference, Riga, Latvia, 2021, 15-16 April, Abstract book p. 21.
3. Photoluminescence quantum yield, emission and excitation spectra, luminescence lifetime measurements in system “luminophore DWK-1-TB/ silver nanoparticles” are performed using Edinburgh Instruments photoluminescence spectrometer FLS1000.
4. The first attempts of DWK-1-TB/silver nanoparticles thin film preparation.
5. Polarization-resolved Z-scan measurements carried out for core-shell nanoparticles in an organic solvent to study what are the main mechanisms behind refractive index changes.
6. Began Z-scan measurements of DMABI/silver nanoparticle mixture in organic solvent to study nanoparticles and organic dyes interaction.
30.12.2020
1. Working on improvements of nanoparticles transfer to organic media; trying to obtain higher efficiency and repeatability.
2. Began Z-scan measurements of core-shell nanoparticles in an organic solvent.
3. Due to Covid-19 pandemic and limited accessibility to lab entrance, scientific literature is studied, experimental data are processing and analysed, work on manuscript writing.
30.09.2020
1. Core-shell silver nanoparticles transfer to organic media using ultrasonic and shell changing methods.
2. Photoluminescence quantum yield, emission and excitation spectra, luminescence lifetime measurements in silver nanoparticles aqueous media and system “luminophore DWK-1-TB/ silver nanoparticles” are performed using Edinburgh Instruments photoluminescence spectrometer FLS1000.
3. Continue spectral Z-scan measurements in a range of 500-700 nm where prismatic silver nanoparticles in aqueous solution exhibit saturable absorption and reverse saturable absorption effects. Different size prismatic silver nanoparticles are measured to study correlations between linear absorption and nonlinear properties of nanoparticles.
30.06.2020
1. Work on prismatic silver nanoparticles synthesis improvements, mainly on synthesis repeatability.
2. An abstract titled “Light amplification by silver nanoparticles surface plasmon resonance” submitted to META 2020, the International Conference on Metamaterials, Photonic Crystals and Plasmonics, Poland, Warsaw, 20-23 July, 2020. Conference is cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic.
3. Two different synthesis methods are tried and core-shell silver nanoparticles with sodium citrate or cetyltrimethylammonium bromide shell are synthesised.
4. Prismatic silver nanoparticles are successfully transferred to dichloromethane/PMMA system.
5. Began Z-scan experiments of prismatic silver nanoparticles in aqueous solution to study Kerr and two-photon absorption spectral dispersions.
31.03.2020
1. Prismatic silver nanoparticles synthesis in aqueous solution. Nanoparticles structure studies using TEM Fei Technai.
2. Silver nanoparticles are successfully transferred from aqueous solution to hexane.
3. Scientific literature is studied due to Covid-19 pandemic and limited accessibility to lab equipment.