Uriel Levy

School of Engineering and Computer Science
Faculty of Science
The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
Tel: +972-2-6584256; Fax: +972-2-6584256
E-mail: ulevy@cc.huji.ac.il
Website: http://aph.huji.ac.il/people/Levy/index.htm

Nanophotonics and Optofluidics

In recent years, optical devices and systems are shrinking in size, with the ultimate goal of developing integrated on-chip photonic systems, similarly to VLSI electronic devices. Nanophotonics is expected to play a key role in future on-chip photonic devices and systems, being an enabling technology allowing the miniaturization and integration of optical components and devices. Our laboratory is focused on the design, fabrication and experimental characterization of various passive and active nanophotonic devices for variety of applications including optical communication and signal processing, illumination, imaging, and optical storage. A major effort is also devoted for the integration of nanophotonic devices with microfluidic technology, towards the realization of lab-on-a-chip systems. A recent result is the experimental demonstration nanoscale confinement of light in a planar nano tip configuration (Fig.1).

Figure 1: NSOM measurement results. a) 3D representation of the near-field signal showing the enhancement of electromagnetic energy at the apex of the tip . b) 3D collage between the topography of the waveguide-tip structure and the near-field intensity signal.

Another recent significant development is the demonstration of a plasmonic enhanced silicon Schottky detector. Using the plasmonic enhancement of the internal photoemission process we demonstrate the detection of sub-bandgap energy photons (in the ~1.5 microns regime) using silicon detector. This discovery may lead to the realization of low cost silicon detectors in the near IR regime, eliminating the need for expensive III/V solutions (Fig. 2)

Figure 2: (a) SEM micrograph of the photonic bus waveguide after local-oxidation process before the metallization step; (b) SEM micrograph of the Schottky contact.

Specific research topics related to Nanoscience and Nanotechnology:

• Light-matter interactions at the nanoscale: Nanoscale confinement of light and its interaction with matter for detection, emission, and nonlinear interactions of light.
• Silicon nanophotonics: The realization of nanoscale photonic devices in silicon.
• Nanophotonics for polarization control:  Design of nanostructures for the control of polarization of light in space.
• Nanomodulators: Optoelectronic devices on the nanoscale for light modulation and switching.
• Silicon Plasmonics: Active silicon plasmonic components and devices

List of publications in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (2010-2011)

• B. Desiatov, I. Goykhman and U. Levy, "Nanoscale Mode Selector in Silicon Waveguide for on Chip Nanofocusing Applications", Nano Lett. 9, 3381-3386 (2009).
• A. Yanai and U. Levy, "The role of short and long range surface plasmons for plasmonic focusing applications," Opt. Express, 17, 14270-14280 (2009).
• G. M. Lerman, Y. Lilach and U. Levy, "Demonstration of spatially inhomogeneous vector beams with elliptical symmetry," Opt. Lett. 34, 1669-1671 (2009)
• G. M. Lerman, A. Yanai and U. Levy, "Demonstration of Nanofocusing by the use of Plasmonic Lens Illuminated with Radially Polarized Light,"  Nano Lett., 9, 2139-2143, (2009).
• A. Yanai and U. Levy, "Plasmonic Focusing with a Coaxial Structure Illuminated By Radially Polarized Light, " Opt. Express, 17, 924-932 (2009).
• R. Shamai and U. Levy, "On Chip Tunable Micro Ring Resonator Actuated by Electrowetting," Opt. Express, 17, 1116-1125 (2009)
• G. Lerman and U. Levy, "Generation of a radially polarized light beam using space-variant subwavelength gratings at 1064 nm," Opt. Lett, 33, 2782-2784  (2008).
• A. Groisman, S. Zamek, K. Campbell, L. Pang, U. Levy, and Y. Fainman, "Optofluidic 1X4 switch,", Opt. Express, 16, 13499-13508 (2008).
• D. Goldring, U. Levy, I. E. Dotan, A. Tsukernik, M. Oksman, I. Rubin, Y. David, and D.Mendlovic, "Experimental measurement of quality factor enhancement using slow light modes in one dimensional photonic crystal," Opt. Express 16, 5585-5595 (2008).
• G. Lerman and U. Levy, "Effect of radial polarization and apodization on spot size under tight focusing conditions," Opt. Express 16, 4567-4581 (2008).
• U. Levy and R. Shamai, "Tunable Optofluidic devices," (invited review paper) Microfluidics and Nanofluidics 4, 97-105 (2008).
• G. M. Lerman, M. Grajower, A. Yanai, and U. Levy, "Light transmission through a circular metallic grating under broadband radial and azimuthal polarization illumination," Opt. Lett. 36, 3972-3974 (2011).
• A. Einat and U. Levy, "Analysis of the optical force in the Micro Ring Resonator," Opt. Express 19, 20405-20419 (2011).
• B. Desiatov, I. Goykhman, and U. Levy, "Plasmonic nanofocusing of light in an integrated silicon photonics platform," Opt. Express 19, 13150-13157 (2011).
• L. Stern, B. Desiatov, I. Goykhman, G. M. Lerman, and U. Levy, "Near field phase mapping exploiting intrinsic oscillations of aperture NSOM probe," Opt. Express 19, 12014-12020 (2011).
• I. Goykhman, B. Desiatov, J. Khurgin, J. Shappir, and U. Levy, "Locally Oxidized Silicon Surface-Plasmon Schottky Detector for Telecom Regime," Nano Lett. 11, 2219-2224, (2011). (see also Nature. Phot Vol 5, pp 444-445 (2011) for research highlight).
• P. Ginzburg, A. Nevet, N. Berkovitch, A. Normatov, G. M. Lerman, A. Yanai, U. Levy, and M. Orenstein, "Plasmonic Resonance Effects for Tandem Receiving-Transmitting Nanoantennas," Nano Lett. 11, 220-224 (2011).
• G. Lerman, L. Stern, and U. Levy, "Generation and tight focusing of hybridly polarized vector beams," Opt. Express 18, 27650-27657 (2010).
• Y. Zuta, I. Goykhman, B. Desiatov, and U. Levy, "On-chip switching of a silicon nitride micro-ring resonator based on digital microfluidics platform," Opt. Express 18, 24762-24769 (2010).
• I. Goykhman, B. Desiatov, and U. Levy, "Experimental demonstration of locally oxidized hybrid silicon-plasmonic waveguide" Appl. Phys. Lett. 97, 141106 (2010).
• I. Goykhman, B. Desiatov, and U. Levy, "Ultrathin silicon nitride microring resonator for biophotonic applications at 970 nm wavelength" Appl. Phys. Lett. 97, 081108 (2010).
• B. Desiatov, I. Goykhman, and U. Levy, "Demonstration of submicron square-like silicon waveguide using optimized LOCOS process," Opt. Express 18, 18592-18597 (2010).
• A. Yanai and U. Levy, "Tunability of reflection and transmission spectra of two periodically corrugated metallic plates, obtained by control of the interactions between plasmonic and photonic modes," J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 27, 1523-1529 (2010).
• A. Normatov, P. Ginzburg, N. Berkovitch, G. Lerman, A. Yanai, U. Levy, and M. Orenstein, "Efficient coupling and field enhancement for the nano-scale: plasmonic needle," Opt. Express 18, 14079-14086 (2010).
• G. Lerman, A. Yanai, N. Ben-Yosef, and U. Levy, "Demonstration of an elliptical plasmonic lens illuminated with radially-like polarized field," Opt. Express 18, 10871-10877 (2010).
• U. Levy, B. Desiatov, I. Goykhman, T. Nachmias, A. Ohayon, and S. E. Meltzer, "Design, fabrication, and characterization of circular Dammann gratings based on grayscale lithography," Opt. Lett. 35, 880-882 (2010).

Three most significant publications in the last five years:

• U. Levy, M. Abashin, K. Ikeda, A. Krishnamoorthy, J. Cunningham and Y. Fainman, "Inhomogeneous Dielectric Metamaterials with Space-Variant Polarizability," Phy. Rev. Lett, 98, 243901-243904 (2007).
• U. Levy, K. Campbell, A. Groisman, S. Mookherjea and Y. Fainman, "On-chip microfluidic tuning of an optical microring resonator," Appl. Phys. Lett. 88, 111107-111109 (2006). Also highlighted in Nature, vol 442 (see Fig. 3, pp. 383).
• G. M. Lerman, A. Yanai and U. Levy, "Demonstration of Nanofocusing by the use of Plasmonic Lens Illuminated with Radially Polarized Light,"  Nano Lett., 9, 2139-2143, (2009).

Patents (2007-2010)

• On Chip Tunable Optical Devices Actuated by Electro-wetting on dielectric
• Patent on Solar Cells
• Patent on radial polarization interferomenter

Cooperation with industries and defense projects (2007-2009):

• RAFAEL funded project on "Silicon nanophotonics",
• MAFAT funded activity on radially polarized laser
• MAFAT funded activity on nanometric lens
• MAGNET - TERASANTA
• KAMIN

Distinctions and awards:

• 2010 - Ben Porath Prize
• 2008-2010 Peter Brojde scholar
• 2007 - Golda Meir fellow

Students, postdocs and researchers (include those graduated in 2008-2009):

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