Innovative Sustainable Photonic and Plasmonic Metamaterials Utilizing Bi- and Sb-Nanostructures

The appeal of Bi and Sb-based materials lies in their suitability for a broad spectrum of sustainable energy and environmental applications, owing to their minimal toxicity and environmentally friendly characteristics [1]. Within the realm of nanophotonics, Bismuth and Antimony emerge as unconventional yet promising plasmonic materials with significant phase change capabilities [2-4]. The remarkable plasmonic behavior of Bi nanostructures across the ultraviolet and visible wavelength domains is attributed to interband transitions [3-4]. Moreover, Bi exhibits a relatively low melting point (~270°C), with its transition from solid to liquid phase coinciding with notable alterations in its optical properties. Leveraging this feature, we have demonstrated optical switching in Bi-nanocomposite films through both hot-plate annealing (phase-based light manipulation) and ns-laser irradiation (ultrafast response) [5-6]. Furthermore, our recent work highlights the successful application of bismuth nanostructures in producing vibrant structural colors via two distinct avenues: traditional Fabry-Perot cavities (FPC) and gap-surface plasmon metasurfaces [7]. We have evaluated their potential for coloring sustainable devices on both micro and macro scales, emphasizing their tunability for diverse applications. Towards real world applications, we implemented the FPC approach on industrial material surfaces like silicon and steel, integrating unconventional, ubiquitous materials and removing the need of a metallic back mirror, while achieving vivid and pure colors. Lastly, we will evaluate the differences between a Bi-based and a Sb-based approach.<br/><br/>[1] S. Adhikari, S. Mandal, D.-H. Kim, Recent Development Strategies for Bismuth-Driven Materials in Sustainable Energy Systems and Environmental Restoration. Small 2023, 19, 2206003.<br/>[2] Gururaj V. Naik, Vladimir M. Shalaev, Alexandra Boltasseva, Alternative plasmonic materials: Beyond gold and silver, Adv. Materials 25, 3264 (2013).<br/>[3] J. Toudert, R. Serna, Interband transitions in semi-metals, semiconductors, and topological insulators: a new driving force for plasmonics and nanophotonics , Opt. Mater. Express. 7, 2299 (2017).<br/>[4] J. Toudert, R. Serna, I. Camps, J. Wojcik, P. Mascher, E. Rebollar, T. A. Ezquerra, Unveiling the Far Infrared-to-Ultraviolet Optical Properties of Bismuth for Applications in Plasmonics and Nanophotonics. J. Phys. Chem. C. 121, 3511–3521 (2017).<br/>[5] M. Garcia-Pardo, E. Nieto-Pinero, A. K. Petford-Long, R. Serna, J. Toudert, Nanophotonics. 9, 885–896 (2020).<br/>[6] M. Alvarez-Alegria, J. Siegel, M. Garcia-Pardo, F. Cabello, J. Toudert, E. Haro-Poniatowski, R. Serna, Nanosecond Laser Switching of Phase-Change Random Metasurfaces with Tunable ON-State Adv. Opt. Mat. 10, 2101405 (2022).<br/>[7] F. Chacon-Sanchez, C. Ruiz de Galarreta et al. "Building Conventional Metasurfaces with Unconventional Interband Plasmonics: A Versatile Route for Sustainable Structural Color Generation Based on Bismuth", Adv. Opt. Mater. 2302130, (2023).