The MultiPhoton NanoPhotonics team focuses on the interaction between powerful laser light and nanostructured materials. Our main expertise is in building laser experiments for studying novel materials, such as nanostructures, metamaterials, 2D materials and quantum optical materials. We aim to discover new properties and to test theoretical predictions. Our focus is on the physics of photons, electrons and magnetism confined to tiny volumes of space – nanoparticles or 2D sheets. We seek out new and useful intersections between classical electromagnetism and quantum mechanics. Our investigations are both fundamental and applied, with potential benefits for the pharmaceutical, food, perfume, security, display technology and agrochemical industries.
We demonstrated hyper-Rayleigh optical activity, a new physical effect, that had eluded scientists for 40 years. The effect had been referred to as an impossible theory. We followed up with demonstrations of the hyper-Mie optical activity and the hyper-Tyndall optical activity effects. Collectivley, these effects are referred to as chiroptical harmonic scattering.