12:00 - 12:30 - Walk-in with Pizza
12:30 - 12:50 Pan Li - PhD candidate, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Nanoscale thermometry of plasmonic structures via Raman shifts in copper phthalocyanine
Abstract: Temperature measurements at the nanoscale are vital for the application of plasmonic structures in medical photothermal therapy and materials science, but very challenging to realize in practice. In this work, we exploit a combination of surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy together with the characteristic temperature dependence of the Raman peak maxima observed in β-phase copper phthalocyanine (β-CuPc) to measure the surface temperature of plasmonic gold nanoparticles (NPs) under laser irradiation. We begin by measuring the temperature dependent Raman shifts of the three most prominent modes of β-CuPc films coated on an array of Au nanodisks over a temperature range of 100 K to 500 K. We then use these calibration curves to determine the temperature of an array of Au nanodisks irradiated with varying laser powers. The extracted temperatures agree quantitatively with the ones obtained via numerical modelling of the electromagnetic and thermodynamic properties of the irradiated array. Thin films of β-CuPc display low extinction coefficients in the blue-green region of the visible spectrum as well as exceptional thermal stability, allowing a wide temperature range of operation of our Raman thermometer, with minimal optical distortion of the underlying structures. Thanks to the strong thermal response of the Raman shifts in β-CuPc, our work opens the opportunity to investigate photothermal effects at the nanoscale in real-time and over single-nanoparticles.
12:50 -13:45 - Dr. Eliska Greplova, Department Quantum Nanoscience - Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, TU-Delft, Faculty of Applied Sciences
Exploring human creativity and AI for engineered quantum matter
Abstract: In research labs worldwide, quantum physics is making unprecedented strides. The realization of robust quantum systems holds tremendous promise for applications in secure communication and computing. Yet, as physicists, our most exciting pursuit lies in experimentally testing quantum phenomena predicted over the past century within highly controlled environments. In this colloquium, I will explore two distinct approaches to engineering quantum matter: one fueled by human creativity and the other driven by artificial intelligence. Throughout the colloquium, we will uncover how these approaches can be effectively deployed in contemporary quantum experiments, paving the way for advancements in our understanding and control of quantum phenomena.