Defence of dissertation in the field of Engineering Physics, Sara Pourjamal, M.Sc.

The dissertation "Magnetoplasmonics of ferromagnetic nanostructures" provides a pathway to using plasmon resonances in ferromagnetic nanostructures for active tuning of magneto-optical responses, efficient loss compensation, and lasing.

Magnetoplasmonics offers the possibility to design a large variety of systems where plasmonic and magnetic properties are intertwined. The work in the dissertation mainly focuses on the plasmonic and magneto-optical properties of two-dimensional nanoparticle arrays. Arrays of nickel-gold dimer nanostructures are used to study both near-field and far-field interactions between plasmonic and ferromagnetic nanodisks. The introduction of ferromagnic metals into plasmonic systems increases the optical losses. To mitigate losses, lasing in ferromagnetic arrays is demonstrated for the first time.

The dissertation is motivated by the prospects of active and low-loss magnetoplasmonics, allowing for novel biosensing devices. In telecommunication systems, magneto-optically active and nonreciprocal plasmonic devices could replace bulky Faraday isolators and lead to the development of integrated optical modulators at visible and infrared wavelengths.

Opponent: Dr. Gervasi Herranz Casabona, The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Spain

Custos: Professor Sebastiaan van Dijken, Aalto University School of Science, Department of Applied Physics

Contact information: Sara Pourjamal, VTT, [email protected], +358401508330

Electronic dissertation: http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-60-8771-9

The dissertation is publicly displayed 10 days before the defence at the noticeboard of the School of Science in Konemiehentie 2, Espoo.