Organic photonics and nano-optics

Grön laserstråle i mörker - kvinna med skyddsglasögon

We develop and study optics based on metal nanostructures and organic materials like conducting polymers and cellulose.

The ability to control light down to the nanoscale opens for improved energy conversion, better sensors, energy-efficient displays and materials with exotic function not found in nature.
 
In our group, we use metal nanostructures to shape light at the nanoscale via charge oscillations called plasmons. Through combination with functional organic materials we develop applications in sensing, energy harvesting and displays. We also study and develop novel nanooptical concepts based purely on organic materials, without involving traditional plasmonic metals like gold or silver. Examples include switchable optical nanoantennas made from conducting polymers and vibrant structural coloration generated by biomimetic photonics crystals. We are further interested in forest-based optics, not least in cellulose materials for radiative cooling of objects via thermal emission to cold space. 

Group members photographed outside infront of a brick wallGroup vision workshop 2020, Norrköping

Recent project

 Video

News

Crecent-shaped aerogel with water droplets.

Aerogel can become the key to future terahertz technologies

Researchers at LiU have shown that the transmission of terahertz light through an aerogel made of cellulose and a conducting polymer can be tuned. This is an important step to unlock more applications for terahertz waves.

Researcher photographed through an aluminum tube.

Passive radiative cooling can be controlled electrically

Researchers at LiU have now shown that electrical tuning of passive radiative cooling can be used to control temperatures of a material at ambient temperatures and air pressure. The results have been published in Cell Reports Physical Science.

Akchheta Karki and Magnus Jonsson behind a board showing the function of the antennas.

Nanoantennas for light controlled electrically

Researchers at LiU have developed optical nanoantennas that can be turned on/off and gradually tuned by applying electrical potentials. The study opens for applications including dynamic flat metaoptics and tuneable smart materials.

Publications

2024

Chaoyang Kuang, Shangzhi Chen, Min Luo, Qilun Zhang, Xiao Sun, Shaobo Han, Qingqing Wang, Vallery Stanishev, Vanya Darakchieva, Reverant Crispin, Mats Fahlman, Dan Zhao, Qiye Wen, Magnus Jonsson (2024) Switchable Broadband Terahertz Absorbers Based on Conducting Polymer-Cellulose Aerogels Advanced Science, Vol. 11, Article 2305898 Continue to DOI

2023

Shangzhi Chen, Magnus Jonsson (2023) Dynamic plasmonics based on conducting polymers International Conference on Metamaterials, Photonic Crystals and Plasmonics, p. 571-571
Shangzhi Chen, Magnus Jonsson (2023) Dynamic Conducting Polymer Plasmonics and Metasurfaces ACS Photonics, Vol. 10, p. 571-581 Continue to DOI
Prasaanth Ravi Anusuyadevi, Shuvra Singha, Debashree Banerjee, Magnus Jonsson, Mikael S. S. Hedenqvist, Anna J. J. Svagan (2023) Synthetic Plant Cuticle Coating as a Biomimetic Moisture Barrier Membrane for Structurally Colored Cellulose Films Advanced Materials Interfaces, Vol. 10, Article 2202112 Continue to DOI
Seunghyun Lee, Daseul Jeong, Sriram KK, Shangzhi Chen, Fredrik Westerlund, Byeongwon Kang, Kyoung-Ho Kim, Magnus Jonsson, Evan S. H. Kang (2023) Plasmonic polymer nanoantenna arrays for electrically tunable and electrode-free metasurfaces Journal of Materials Chemistry A Continue to DOI

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