Green Photonics @ Nazarbayev University

International Symposium

Green Photonics @ Nazarbayev University 29 and 30 October 2015

Physics Department

School of Science and Technology Nazarbayev University

Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan

International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies, 2015

Image: Andrey Miroshnichenko, The Australian National University

Acknowledgements Organisers:

Physics Department, School of Science and Technology Anton Desyatnikov, Associate Professor George Tsironis, Professor Vassilios Kovanis, Professor, Acting Head of Department

Support:

School of Science and Technology: Vassilios Tourassis, Professor, Dean Ainura Shakirova, Executive Director Olga Levkovich, Manager Meruyert Kaliakparova, Manager Inabat Abzal, Consultant Ayagoz Kussainova, Consultant Meruert Mukametkaliyeva, Consultant Saltanat Malgizhdarova, Consultant International Scholars and Students Department: Alibek Abdullayev, Senior Manager

Sponsorship:

School of Science and Technology, Nazarbayev University Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan Grant «Superconducting and quantum metamaterials» (Agreement on research work performance №339/0762015 dated February 12, 2015), PIs G. Tsironis, V. Kovanis, A. Mandilara, M. Kozlov Grant «Time Resolved Studies in Wide Band Gap Semiconductors» (Agreement on research work performance №180/077-2015 dated February 12, 2015), PIs: M. Bhowmick, A. Desyatnikov, V. Kovanis Grant «Development of a humanoid robot with neuromorphic control system for applications in household and public environments» (Agreement on research work performance №220/07-2015 dated February 12, 2015), PI M. Folgheraiter

The Venue: Conference Hall #1022 (Block C3, GSB and GSPP building)

Cornelia Denz Professor, Head of Institute, Vice-Rector for International Affairs and Young Researchers Institute of Applied Physics, University of Muenster. Germany Corrensstr. 2/4, 48149 Muenster, Website: www.nonlinear-photonics.com

[email protected]

Professor Denz is expert in nonlinear optics and photonics with applications in information processing, nano photonics, energy photonics, and biophotonics. This includes Nonlinear physics, nonlinear optics, lasers and optical information processing, direct laser writing, optical waveguides and filters, photonic crystals physics, solar cell fabrication and light harvesting techniques, organic and soft matter optics, holographic optical tweezers and nonlinear microscopy as well as biomedical optics. She is an author of more than 200 scientific publications (international journals, peer reviewed), author of three books and 17 book chapters, and has given in her career more than 150 invited talks at international conferences and scientific colloquia. She is also (co-)editor of five books and special journal issues, and holds three patents.

Title: Laser induced twisted photonic lattices for information processing and organic solar cell light harvesting Abstract: Artificially tailored photonic structures are one of the most promising concepts for the realization of functional optical systems capable to guide and steer light accompanied with a manifold of integrated functionalities. In particular, the mutual interplay of helical photonic structures and chiral light fields attracted huge interest in plasmonics and metamaterials [1, 2]. Inspired by nature, function-oriented adoption of biomimetic DNA-based helical nanostructures ranks as a key technology for the design of present and future optical materials [3]. However, the fabrication of twisted or helical photonic structures at the wavelength scale with tunable features is still challenging. As a proven technique, optical induction of refractive index modulations permits a highly versatile, flexible, and scalable approach to structure photosensitive materials [4]. Photonic graphene, photonic quasicrystals and photonic random lattices are among the versatile lattices with specific band gap structures that have been successfully employed to demonstrate quantum effects. Here, we present a novel approach to this established technique enabling the fabrication of aperiodic, quasicrystalline, spiral, or helically twisted two- and three-dimensional structures. For this purpose, we have realized on the one hand a symmetry-independent base of Bessel beams to realize arbitrary twodimensional photonic lattices [5], and on the other hand employed an interference technique referred to as ’umbrella configuration’ [6] to realize light fields with three-dimensional helical DNA-like structures using photorefractive strontium barium niobate (SBN). The resulting functional photonic systems are subsequently used to probe complex light propagation as e.g. chiral light fields or vortex-bearing light fields carrying orbital angular momentum resulting in striking effects as oscillating solitons, Anderson localization or vortex switches [7]. Additionally, they can be used to trap light in organic solar cells, being ideal light management structures. References: 1. J. B. Pendry, A Chiral Route to Negative Refraction, Science 306, 1353 (2004). 2. J. K. Gansel et al., Gold Helix Photonic Metamaterial as Broadband Circular Polarizer, Science 325, 1513 (2009). 3. A. Kuzyk et al., Reconfigurable 3D plasmonic metamolecules, Nature Materials 13, 862 (2014). 4. P. Rose et al., Nonlinear lattice structures based on families of complex nondiffracting beams, New J. Phys. 14, 033018 (2012). 5. F. Diebel et al., Observation of Spatially Oscillating Solitons in Photonic Lattices, submitted to PRL (2015). 6. D. C. Meisel et al., Three-dimensional photonic crystals by holographic lithography using the umbrella configuration: Symmetries and complete photonic band gaps, Phys. Rev. B 70, 165104 (2004). 7. A. Zannotti et al., Propagation of discrete vortices in helical three-dimensional twisted waveguide arrays, submitted to PRX (2015).

Serik Kumekov 1) Director of the Institute of High Technologies and Sustainable Development 2) Professor of Physics at the Department of General and Theoretical Physics K. I. Satpayev Kazakh National Technical Research University, 22 Satpayev str. Almaty, 050013, Republic of Kazakhstan

[email protected]

Serik Kumekov received M.S. degree in physics from Tashkent State University, Uzbekistan, in 1967, and a Ph.D. and a Habilitation Doctorate in physics and mathematics from the Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences at St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1973 and 1988, respectively. He joined Kazakh National Technical University in 2001 as a Director of the Administration of Science and International Relations. In May 2003 he was elected Head of the Department of General and Theoretical Physics, and in February 2010 he was promoted to the position of the Director of the Institute of High Technologies and Sustainable Development. Research interests of Professor Kumekov center on theoretical condensed matter physics. He is a principal investigator of a number of research projects funded by the governmental programs for promotion of basic and applied studies.

Title: "The dynamics of electron-hole plasma in the semiconductor excited by high power light pulses"

Abstract: Interband absorption of a short light pulse causes the reversible transparency of a GaAs sample on a picosecond time scale. Right after the pulse, on a time span shorter than that of the spontaneous recombination, the condition of the developed electron-hole plasma depends neither on the pulse energy, nor on the energy of exciting photons. The radiation has been found that correlates with the excitation on a picosecond time scale. The mechanisms of reversible transparency and superluminescence have been studied. Cooling time of the electron-hole plasma in semiconductor increases considerably with the plasma concentration. The reason for such a slowing down of cooling is shown to be the heating of optical phonons. An estimate for the time needed to restore quasi Fermi distribution among the nonequilibrium electrons is obtained. The conditions are found for the emergence of relaxation oscillations of superluminescence resulting from the recovery of equilibrium distribution.

Talgat Inerbayev Technical Physics Eurasian National University Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan [email protected]

Title: Non-Equilibrium Dynamics of Photoexcitated Electrons in Functionalized Semiconductor Nanostructures

Anaelle Hertz Centre for Quantum Information and Communication (QuIC) Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium Anaelle Hertz obtained her bachelor's degree in mathematics and physics at the University of Montreal in Canada in 2011. During her studies, she completed a research internship in a CNRS laboratory in Paris in statistical mechanics. Always at the University of Montreal, she pursued a master's degree and graduated in 2013 with a thesis entitled "Squeezed coherent states of the Morse potential and entanglement created by a beam splitter." Holding a scholarship from the Fund for Scientific Research of Belgium (FNRS), Anaelle is now a PhD student at the Université Libre de Bruxelles in Brussels, Belgium at the Centre for Quantum Information and Communication (QuIC). She is working on quantum information with continuous-variable. [email protected]

Title: Gaussianity-dependent separability criterion for continuous-variable systems

Abstract: Quantum entanglement is nowadays considered a central resource in the field of quantum information and computation, and it is therefore crucial to be able to determine whether a state is entangled or separable. In the context of continuous-variable systems, a necessary criterion for the separability of any two-mode bosonic state has been derived, while a necessary and sufficient separability criterion has been found in the specific case of Gaussian states. In this work, we investigate an improvement of this so-called Duan-Simon criterion that enables a stronger detection of entanglement for non-Gaussian states. The improved condition works by imposing an additional constraint on the degree of Gaussianity of the state and exploiting a connection with Gaussianity-bounded uncertainty relations.

Alexander Szameit Assistant Professor “Diamond- / carbon-based optical systems”, Research group leader Institute of Applied Physics, Abbe School of Photonics Friedrich-Schiller Universität Jena, Germany

[email protected]

Alexander Szameit is a world-leading expert in the fabrication of integrated waveguide circuits for classical and quantum light. His areas of expertise include topological photonics, quantum-classical analogues, discrete solitons, emulations of relativistic wave equations, and non-hermitian physics. His hfactor is 38, with more than 150 papers published in international reviewed journals and 4500 citations in total. He is author of 4 book chapters, more than 200 conference contributions, and was invited for about 100 invited presentations at international conferences. Alexander Szameit received several awards for his work, including the dissertation prize of the German Physical Society in 2008, the award of the German Society for Laser Technology 2011, the OSA Adolph Lomb Medal 2014, and the Rudolph Kaiser Award for Experimental Physics in 2015.

Title: Realization of Topological Anderson Insulators

Abstract: The recent experiments on photonic topological insulators signified a new direction. We present the progress in this area, including also the first observation of topological Anderson insulators, with an emphasis on universal ideas common to optics, cold atoms and quantum systems. The discovery of topological insulators relying on spin-orbit coupling in condensed matter systems has created much interest in various fields, including in photonics. In two-dimensional electronic systems, topological insulators are insulating materials in the bulk, but conduct electric current on their edges such that the current is completely immune to scattering. However, demonstrating such effects in optics poses a major challenge because photons are bosons, which fundamentally do not exhibit fermionic spin-orbit interactions (i.e., Kramer’s theorem). At microwave frequencies, topological insulators have been realized [1] in magneto-optic materials, relying on strong magnetic response to provide topological protection against backscattering – in the spirit of the quantum Hall effect. However, at optical frequencies the magneto-optic response is extremely weak, hence a photonic topological insulator would have to rely on some other property. Indeed, numerous theoretical proposals have been made for photonic topological insulators [2], but their first observation [3], made by our group, relied on a different idea: Floquet topological insulators [4]. Later that year, another group reported imaging of topological edge states in silicon photonics [5]. These experiments have generated much follow up, among them – as the arguably most intriguing one the area of “topological photonics” – our first experimental observation of topological Anderson insulators (predicted in [6]), where a system becomes topological only when disorder is introduced [7]. The purpose of this talk is to review these developments, discuss new conceptual ideas, and suggest applications. REFERENCES [1] Nature 461, 772 (2009) [2] Phys. Rev. A 82, 043811 (2010); Phys. Rev. A 84, 043804 (2011); Nature Phys. 7, 907 (2011); Nature Photon. 6, 782 (2012); Nature Mater. 12, 233 (2013). [3] Nature 496, 196 (2013). [4] Phys. Rev. B 82, 235114 (2010); Nature Phys. 7, 490 (2011). [5] Nature Photon. 7, 1001 (2013); Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 087403 (2014). [6] Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 136806 (2009); Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 056801 (2015). [7] CLEO/QELS conference, paper FTh3D.2, San José, USA (2015).

Andrey Miroshnichenko Dr. rer. nat., Future Fellow (ARC) Nonlinear Physics Centre Research School of Physics and Engineering The Australian National University

andrey.miroshnichenko@an u.edu.au

Areas of Research Expertise: Nanophotonics and Metamaterials, Plasmonics and Nanoantennas, Composite and Hybrid Materials, Nonlinear Optics and Spectroscopy, Classical and Quantum Optics, Microcavities and Thermal radiation, Liquid crystals and Nonlinear dynamical systems Key Achievements: Demonstration of the magnetic response of high refractive index dielectric nanoparticles in the visible; Description of the Fano resonance phenomenon in various nanoscale structures; Application of the dyadic Green’s function approach to effectively describe light scattering phenomena by nanoparticles with electric and magnetic responses; Achievement of ultra-high Q-factor in photonic crystal cavities, due to interaction of several Fano resonances based on the proposed concept of coupled-resonators induced reflectance; Prediction and demonstration that photonic crystals may reduce the power threshold for optical Frédericksz transition of nematic liquid crystals by several orders of magnitude; Design of reversible optical diode consisting of asymmetrically placed liquid crystal layer inside photonic crystal.

Title: Seeing the unseen: nonradiating anapole mode observed in a single dielectric nanoparticle

Abstract: Nonradiating current configurations attract attention of physicists for many years as possible models of stable atoms. One intriguing example of such a nonradiating source is known as “anapole”. An anapole mode can be viewed as a composition of electric and toroidal dipole moments, resulting in destructive interference of the radiation fields due to similarity of their farfield scattering patterns. Here we demonstrate experimentally that dielectric nanoparticles can exhibit a radiationless anapole mode in visible. We achieve the spectral overlap of the toroidal and electric dipole modes through a geometry tuning, and observe a highly pronounced dip in the far-field scattering accompanied by the specific nearfield distribution associated with the anapole mode. The anapole physics provides a unique playground for the study of electromagnetic properties of nontrivial excitations of complex fields, reciprocity violation, and Aharonov-Bohm like phenomena at optical frequencies.

Sergei Manakov A/Professor, Faculty of Physics and Technology Al-Farabi Kazakh National University Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan Sergey M. Manakov is Associate Professor at the Physicotechnical Dept. of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan and Principle Research Officer in Research Institute of Experimental and Theoretical Physics. He received his PhD degree from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in 1992. His research program is aimed at the improvement of solar cells efficiency. His field of interest is amorphous, multi -crystalline silicon and gallium arsenide solar cells. The research focus is in advancement of light trapping by using of rear reflecting contact in thin films solar cells and by utilizing nanoscale particles of metal oxides in crystalline cells. Since 2013 he is research manager of project intended for formation on thin gallium arsenide film and PV and UHF devices on intermetallic substrates with a high thermal conduction by method of molecular beam epitaxy. [email protected]

Title: Improvement of GaAs Solar Cells Parameters via using of Metal-Oxide Nanoparticles

Abstract: An efficient antireflection coating is critical for the improvement of solar cell performance via increasing of light trapping. In this paper the results of investigation of solar cells based on GaAs with thin film of silicon nitride as antireflection coating are presented. Control samples were Schottky junction solar cells fabricated from experimental GaAs solar cells by chemical etching of antireflection coating and p-type upper emitter layer and chemical deposition Au thin film on n – type GaAs surface. Frontal surfaces both p-n junction and Schottky junction solar cells were covered by of metal-oxide nanoparticles synthesized in counter flow propane-oxygen flame on the surface of nichrome wire. Nanoparticles had the characteristic size of 50-300 nm depending on synthesis conditions and were sprayed on a solar cell surface. It is found that the metal-oxide nanoparticles have significant influence on the antireflection effect and, therefore, improve the solar cell performance. Optimum nanoparticles surface concentrations appropriated to maximal short-circuit current are determined. It is shown that the coating from metaloxide nanoparticles increase efficiency of solar cells by to 4,7 % due to light scattering on them and increase of a number of photons absorbed in the active region of solar cell. Keywords: gallium arsenide, Schottky barrier, solar cells, metal-oxide nanoparticles, quantum efficiency.

George Tsironis Professor, Department of Physics, School of Science and Technology, Nazarbayev University, Astana, 010000, Republic of Kazakhstan

[email protected]

George Tsironis areas of expertise are in condensed matter and nonlinear physics, complex systems and interdisciplinary applications. His research interests focus in various problems of condensed matter physics, nonequilibrium statistical mechanics, nonlinear physics as well as classical and quantum metamaterials. His research portfolio has been focused on the emergence of coherence in spatiotemporal complexity. He has made significant contributions in the Kramers escape problem with correlated noise, the onset of non-equilibrium relaxation due to discrete breathers in lattices, the development of the semi-classical theory of polarons in discrete variables, the role of breathers in thermal conductivity, etc. More recently with collaborators he analyzed the role of nonlinearity in metamaterials, introduced the idea of SQUID-based metamaterials, analyzed their hysteretic and breather-related properties and also predicted that chimera states may form in these Metamaterials. George also proposed theoretically a Luneburg-based waveguide that recently was demonstrated experimentally. Currently his Research Projects and Funding Portfolio include, The Crete Center for Quantum Complexity and Nanotechnology (CCQCN), European Union, (2014-2017). The Superconducting and quantum metamaterials project supported by the Ministry of Education of Kazakhstan, (2015-2017), The Non-hermitian quantum wave engineering (NHQWAVE), European Union grant, (2016-2020). And his is a winner of the 2015 open international grant competition of the National University of Science and Technology MISiS, Moscow, Russia focusing on the support of scientific research implemented under the supervision of the world's leading scientists.

Title: Rogue Waves & Extreme Bending of Light in Networks of Luneburg Lenses

Abstract: In this talk we will cover aspects of a new optical instrument the network of Luneburg lenses. The Luneburg lens is an aberration-free lens that focuses light from all directions equally well. We will investigate the dynamics of a single Luneburg lens resulting into exact ray-tracing solutions in quasi-two dimensional and in full two dimensional space. Then the single lens ray-solutions are applied to various arrangements of multiple lenses showing that Luneburg lenses may form efficient waveguides for light propagation and guiding. The wave propagating features of the Luneburg lens are also verified via direct numerical solution of Maxwell equations and it is shown that an additional presence of nonlinearity improves dramatically the focusing characteristics of the networks. Furthermore, we address light propagation properties in complex media consisting of random distributions of generalized Luneburg lenses. Both analytical and numerical techniques are used to study emergent properties of light organization in these media. As light propagates, it experiences multiple scattering leading to the formation of light bundles in the form of branches. In addition, coalescence of branches may lead to the formation of extreme waves of the rogue wave nature. Such waves appear at specific locations and arise in the linear as well as in the nonlinear regime.

Oksana V. Shramkova Crete Center for Quantum Complexity and Nanotechnology Department of Physics, University of Crete P.O. Box 2208, 71003, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

[email protected]

Oksana V. Shramkova received M.Sc.degree in Solid-State Physics from the National Technical University ‘‘Kharkov Polytechnic Institute’’ (NTU-KhPI) in 1998 and PhD degree in Radiophysics from the Usikov Institute of Radiophysics and Electronics of the NAS of Ukraine (IRE NASU) in 2001 From 2001 to 2010, she was with the Department of Solid-State Radiophysics of IRE NASU, Ukraine. From 2010 to 2014, she was a Marie Curie Research Fellow in the School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Queen’s University of Belfast. Since 2014 she is a Senior Researcher at the Center for Quantum Complexity and Nanotechnology of the Physics Department of the University of Crete. She has authored and coauthored about 120 papers in referred Journal and Conference Proceedings. Her research interests include physics-based modelling of linear and nonlinear phenomena in complex electromagnetic structures and metamaterials. In 2006, Dr. Shramkova was awarded the academic title of Senior Research Scientist. She is also a Senior member of IEEE. In 2008, she was awarded State Prize of the President of Ukraine for young researchers (top prize for young researchers).

Title: Nonreciprocal Nonlinear Scattering by Stacked PT-symmetric Structures

Abstract: The combinatorial frequency generation by PT-symmetric periodic stacks with an embedded nonlinear anisotropic dielectric layer is examined in the work. The three-wave interaction technique is applied to study the nonlinear processes. It is shown that the intensity of the three-wave mixing process can be significantly enhanced in resonant cavities based on PT-symmetric periodic structures, especially as the pumping wave frequency is near the coherent perfect absorber-lasing resonances. The main mechanisms and properties of the combinatorial frequency generation and emission from the stacks are illustrated by the simulation results and the effect of the in PT-symmetric walls of resonator on the stack nonlinear response is discussed. The enhanced efficiency of the frequency conversion at Wolf-Bragg resonances is demonstrated. It has been shown that Wolf–Bragg resonances of very high orders may lead to the global maxima and nulls of the scattered field. The analysis of the effect of losses in nonlinear dielectric layer on the combinatorial frequency generation efficiency has shown that the losses may amplify the intensity of the frequency mixing process.

Maksim Kozlov Senior Scientist, National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, Astana, 010000, Republic of Kazakhstan [email protected]

Maksim Kozlov serves as a Senior Scientist with National Laboratory Astana at Nazarbeyv University. He is the principal investigator of set of forward looking projects on Hyperbolic Metamaterials applications and Parity-Time Science and EE. In the past he held research appointments with the Department of Physics at Technion in Haifa, Israel, at the Centre de Physique Thortique, Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France and at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics University of Rochester, New York, USA. His research portfolio spans aspects of wave-propagation phenomena in the context of optical, plasmonic and integrated photonics devices, the physics of plasmas and large scale simulations on hydrodynamics. His key technical accomplishments include the prediction of lattice Soleakons, robust quasi self-trapped leaky modes in waveguide arrays via direct numerical simulations, ultra-narrow bandwidth high harmonics generation device and the numerical simulation of converging shock waves generated by underwater electrical wire explosions. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA, and a Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering from the Obninsk Institute of Nuclear Energetics, Russia.

Title: Control of Power in Parity-Time Symmetric Lattices

Abstract: We investigate wave transport properties of Parity-Time symmetric lattices that are periodically modulated along the direction of propagation. We demonstrate that in the regime of unbroken Parity-Time symmetry the system Floquet-Bloch modes may interfere constructively leading to either controlled oscillations or power absorption and unlimited amplification occurring exactly at the phase transition point. The differential power response is effected by the overlap of the gain and loss system distribution with wave intensity pattern that is formed through Rabi oscillations engaging the coupled Floquet-Bloch modes.

Thomas Oikonomou A/Professor, Department of Physics, School of Science and Technology, Nazarbayev University, Astana, 010000, Republic of Kazakhstan Thomas Oikonomou joined in August 2015 as an as an Assistant Professor the physics department of Nazarbayev University. Thomas obtained his master’s degree in General Relativity in 2003 at the Friedrich-Schiller University of Jena in Germany. In 2008 he defended his PhD in Nonlinear Dynamical Systems and Bioinformatics at the National Kapodistrian University of Athens in collaboration with the National Center For Scientific Research - Demokritos in Hellas. He earned a visiting fellowship at the Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Fisicas in Rio de Janeiro Brazil in 2009 and a research fellowship at theUniversity of Crete in Hellas in 2012. His main research interests are Non-Equilibrium Statistical Mechanics,Complexity theory, Thermostatistics of Nonextensive Systems, Breathers, Plasmonic [email protected] Systems, Long Range Correlations, Applications in DNA and Bioinformatics.

Title: Parity-Time Plasmonic Instabilities

Abstract: Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) are coherent electromagnetic surface waves trapped on an insulator-conductor interface. The SPPs decay exponentially along the propagation due to conductor losses, restricting the SPPs propagation length to few microns. Gain materials can be used to counterbalance the aforementioned losses. We provide an exact expression for the gain, in terms of the optical properties of the interface, for which the losses are eliminated. In addition, we show that systems characterized by lossless SPP propagation are related to PT symmetric systems. Furthermore, we derive an analytical critical value of the gain describing a phase transition between lossless and prohibited SPPs propagation. The regime of the aforementioned propagation can be directed by the optical properties of the system under scrutiny. Finally, we perform COMSOL simulations verifying the theoretical findings.

Zeinulla Zhanabaev Professor, Head of the Laboratory of Nonlinear Physics Research Institute of Experimental and Theoretical Physics Al-Farabi Kazakh National University Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan Zeinulla Zh. Zhanabaev is a doctor of physical and mathematical sciences, professor. He is the head of the Laboratory of Nonlinear Physics at Research Institute of Experimental and Theoretical Physics (at al-Farabi Kazakh National University). He graduated from physical faculty of Kazakh State University in 1965, and received a scientific degree of candidate of physical and mathematical sciences in 1969. He received the degree of doctor of physical and mathematical sciences from al-Farabi Kazakh National University in 1995. Research interests fall into the main themes: problems of chaos and theory of information. He established theoretically criteria of self-organization in complex systems and suggested the new equation for evolution of fractal measure. He is an author of research works on turbulence, dynamical chaos in radio electronics, electrical and optical properties of nanocluster [email protected] semiconductors, dynamics in neural networks. Zhanabaev Z. Zh. is a founder of International conference “Chaos and structures in nonlinear systems. Theory and experiment”. He is a scientific supervisor of bachelor students, master students and PhD students.

Title: Scientific base of technological processes of photovoltaics

Abstract: The work is devoted to the description of theory, algorithms for modeling of physical phenomena, and experimental study of nanostructured semiconductors. New equations for the description of fractal evolution of concentration of charge carriers and energy of excitonic formations have been suggested. Optical processes are considered on the base of fluctuation-dissipative relation. Fluctuations defined via power spectra of charge carriers’ concentration. Dissipation of energy is expressed via equilibrium distribution of photons. A theory for the description of electrical conductivity of semiconductor quantum nanowires has been constructed. It was taken into account that oscillations of nanowires lead to their self-similar deformation, and because of interaction between nanowires they form fractal clusters. Electrical potential of these structures is described via nonlinear fractal measures. As follows from the theory, current-voltage characteristics of quantum nanowires contain hysteresis loops with oscillations. This fact corresponds to existence of differential negative resistance due to multi-barrier tunneling effects in fractal structures. Theoretical results describing temperature dependence, kinetics of electrons, holes and impurities, optical and electrical properties of nanofilms have been compared with corresponding experimental data.

Gabriel Molina-Terriza Director, Macquarie Research Centre in Quantum Science and Technology Macquarie University, Australia

[email protected]

I hold a Future Fellowship from the Australian Research Council (ARC). I am also an Associate Professor at Macquarie University. I lead an experimental research group (one post-doctoral researchers, five Ph.D. students). We study the interactions of light and matter at the nanoscale, focusing on applications to Quantum Metrology, Quantum Information and Nanophotonics. We are experts in using the spatial properties of light to unveil properties of matter, implement quantum cryptography protocols and quantum and classical metrology. I am author of more than 60 international journal papers and have been invited to present my results on over 20 international conferences. Some of my scientific findings have attracted the attention of the general media (radio, TV, newspapers and popular science magazines). Since August 2015 I am the Director of the Macquarie Research Centre in Quantum Science and Technology.

Title: Squeezing photons through nanoholes

Abstract: In this talk I will review some of our recent findings on the use of the angular momentum of light in the fields of quantum optics and nanophotonics. In my group we are exploiting the quantum correlations, polarization and spatial properties of photons in order to control the interaction of light with structures smaller than the wavelength of the electromagnetic field used. Some of our recent experimental results include the control over the temporal correlations of biphoton states by projecting the photons into modes with different angular momentum content. We have shown that we can switch the temporal correlations from bunching to anti-bunching by exploiting the spatiotemporal correlations inherent in parametric down-conversion processes. The temporal control of photons is very important when interacting with nanostructures, as it is controlling their angular momentum and helicity properties. We have observed that the transmission of light through small circular apertures or the scattering of light from dielectric spheres depends critically on these parameters. In particular, we can change the transmission through a nanohole by two orders of magnitude by switching the circular polarization of the input mode. This relies on the fact that different input modes will induce different multipolar moments on the nanostructure. This allows us a pathway to control the localized modes of the nanostructures. When using multiphoton entangled states, this has enormous consequences on the kind of interaction that can be achieved and the resulting multiphoton state.

Zhandos Utegulov A/Professor, Department of Physics, School of Science and Technology, Nazarbayev University, Astana, 010000, Republic of Kazakhstan

[email protected]

Dr. Zhandos Utegulov is an Assistant Professor and founding faculty member of the Physics Department in the School of Science and Technology at Nazarbayev University which he joined in August 2011. In the past he served as an R&D Research Scientist at Idaho National Laboratory and postdoctoral research scientist at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, National Institute of Standards and Technology (in Boulder, Colorado) and University of Cincinnati. Zhandos studied physics at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, followed by graduate work in physics and photonics at Oklahoma State University. At NU he directs Advanced Materials Research & Laser Technologies Laboratory (www.amrelat.com) with interests on research and development in the area of laser-based materials characterization and processing, fast and ultra-fast time-resolved laser-acoustic and photo-thermal techniques, inelastic laser (Raman and Brillouin) light scattering spectroscopy, surface plasmon-enhanced spectroscopy and nano-imaging of nanostructured, thin film, bulk and bio-materials for variety of energy, electronics and biomedical applications.

Title: Nanosecond laser-mater interaction: thermal conduction, thermal radiation, melting, ablation and ultrasonics for nuclear energy application Abstract: In this talk I will review our latest research on laser-matter interaction on nanosecond time scale spanning transient thermal conduction, thermal radiation, melting, ablation, surface modification and acoustic phenomena. Our latest experimental and theoretical results shed light on unique phase transition physical phenomena taking place on a fast scale. Current and proposed experiments will be discussed in the light of nuclear energy and high energy density (HED) studies. Development of all-optical, remote technique for characterization of thermophysical properties of nuclear materials will be discussed.

Dmitriy Afanasyev Institute of Molecular Nanophotonics, Academician E.A. Buketov Karaganda State University Universitetskaya str. 28, 100028 Karaganda, Republic of Kazakhstan Tel. +777212 770446, Fax:+77212 770384

[email protected]

Dmitriy Afanasyev received M.Sc. degree in Technical physics from the Academician E.A. Buketov Karaganda State University (KarSU) in 2009, and PhD degree in Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology from the KarSU in 2012. From 2006 to the present times, he works in Institute of Molecular Nanophotonics of the KarSU. Main direction of scientific activities of Afanasyev D. is to study electronic processes in nanostructures based on organic and inorganic semiconducting materials. Especially Afanasyev D. has interest in research of the role of the spin state of organic molecules in the formation of electron-hole pairs in the organic composite materials. The results of the research were published more than 60 papers in referred Journals and Conference Proceedings. He was awarded with the Prize of Mayor of the Karaganda region as the young scientists (2010). He had the Grant for young scientists of basic and applied research of Foundation “Fund of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan” (2010). Twice, in 2012 and in 2014, he was winner of scholarships for young scientists of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Title: Plasmon-enhanced dye-sensitized solar sells

Abstract: The results of the synthesis of nanostructures «Ag-TiO2» are presented. Optical properties and stability of silver nanoparticles were studied in various solvents. The dimensions and shape of the nanostructures «Ag-TiO2» were determined. Absorption and fluorescence spectra were measured. The effect of the particles on the absorption and fluorescence spectra of the Rhodamine 6G dye in ethanol solution were studied. Also the influence of nanoparticles Ag-TiO2 is investigated on the electronic processes in dye-sensitized solar cells.

Alexander Alekseev Head of Solar Energy Laboratory National Laboratory Astana Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan [email protected]

Alexander Alekseev started at NU in October of 2013 as senior scientist and currently he serves as head of Solar Energy Laboratoty at National Laboratory Astana. In past for many years (2002-2013) he was researcher at University of Glasgow (UK) and Eindhoven University of Technology (The Netherlands). For long period (1999-2012) he was application scientist at NT-MDT Co. Alexander studied physics at Moscow University for Electronic Engineering in Russia (Ms and PhD). His main research interests are methods of Scanning Probe and Electron Microscopy and their applications for soft matter.

Title: Study of modern organic solar cells by different methods of microscopy

Abstract: Understanding structure-property relationship in organic solar cell is of great importance, since morphology significantly affects device performance. The power conversion efficiency of single layer organic solar cells can approach 10% with blends such as the polymer PTB7 and the fullerene derivative PC71BM, which is already enough for commercial applications. In this work the detailed structure of PTB7:PC71BM photoactive layer deposited with and without addition of diiodooctane is studied by different methods of transmission electron microscopy, scanning probe microscopy and high-resolution Raman microscopy. The details of bulk structure, such as the thickness of the layer covering fullerene domains and the grain structure of the film are examined. The local electrical properties of these blends are studied by conductive atomic force microscopy for different configurations of electrodes. Different power conversion efficiencies of blends with and without diiodooctane are explained in terms of local photoconductive properties.

Vassilios Kovanis Professor and Acting Head, Department of Physics, School of Science and Technology, Nazarbayev University, Astana, 010000, Republic of Kazakhstan Vassilios Kovanis joined the Physics Department at NU in August of 2014 as a professor and currently he is serving at the acting head. In the past he served as the Technical Advisor of the Photonics Technologies Branch at the Sensors Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory and he was the lead program manager on the Optical Metamaterials Sensors Directorate enterprise. Vassilios studied physics at the University of Athens, followed by graduate work at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and wrote his PhD dissertation at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico in condensed matter theory. In September 1989 joined the Nonlinear Optics Center at Air Force Weapons Laboratory, at Kirtland Air Force Base. He remained with that [email protected] organization for the next eleven years, working on multiple projects of optical and electronic technologies. During that period he held research faculty positions with the Applied Mathematics and the Electrical Engineering Departments at the University of New Mexico, and was a National Research Council Fellow between 1992 and 1994. Subsequently did a stint in corporate Research and Development Laboratories with Corning Incorporated in Corning, as a Senior Research Scientist and with BinOptics Corporation in Ithaca, New York as a program manager for next generation photonics product development. Between 2003 and 2005 was member of the faculty at the Applied Mathematics Department at Rochester Institute of Technology. His research interests are on designing low-noise tunable photonic oscillators, photonics synthetic matter and applications of compressive sensing to photonic receivers.

Title: Fast, Tunable & Low Linewidth Photonic Oscillators

Abstract: Combining an optically injected diode laser and properly feeding back a polarization-rotated signal we can induce self-referenced robust limit cycle microwave output that is widely tunable, spanning across 100GHz bandwidth, by simply varying the dc-bias points of the master and distributed feedback laser slave lasers diode. We observed feedback-induced reduction of the pulsation peak linewidth by more than two orders of magnitude relative to the injection-only case. The nonlinear dynamics of the optically injected semiconductor laser can be used to minimize sensitivity to fluctuations in the operating points. Theoretical analysis of these experimental recordings is performed using a new Stochastic Delay Third Oder Adler phase equation with good agreement with the experimental findings.

Almaz Mustafin Professor, Department of General and Theoretical Physics Kazakh National Research Technical University Almaty, 050013, Republic of Kazakhstan

[email protected]

Almaz Mustafin joined the faculty of KazNRTU in 2007 after six years teaching and doing research in the Department of Physics and Institute for Research in Engineering and Applied Physics at the University of Maryland, College Park. He also held teaching appointments at the George Washington University, DC, in 2001, 2002 and 2007. He studied in the School of General and Applied Physics of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. After graduation, he spent two years as a Research Assistant at the I.E. Tamm Theoretical Department of the P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow. He earned his Candidate of Sciences degree from the M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University where he pursued his post-graduate research. In 1984, he joined the research staff of the Kazakh National Academy of Sciences, Almaty, where he worked until 2001: initially at the Institute of Mathematics and later on at the Space Research Institute. During that period, he also spent a year at Kyoto University, Japan, as a recipient of the fellowship by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. He received his habilitation doctorate from the Institute of Mathematics in 2001. Dr. Mustafin's research area is nonlinear dynamics with applications in physical and living systems. He is a member of the American Physical Society.

Title: Singular perturbation methods in coupled lasers and related systems

Abstract: Studies of synchronized oscillators have generated significant insights into a diverse array of physical, chemical, and biological phenomena since the first known efforts by Huygens in the XVII century. This phenomenon is unique in that it can be observed physically only in nonlinear systems. The coupling can be local or global, as well as excitatory or inhibitory. We consider inhibitory linkage in two systems of different nature governed by the same Lotka-Volterra-Gause equations – coupled semiconductor lasers and competing ecological consumer-resource pairs. The presence of two different time scales enables to carry out a fairly complete analysis of the model. This is done by treating “predators” and “preys” in the coupled system as fast-scale and slow-scale variables respectively and using geometric singular perturbation techniques. We have shown that inhibitory coupling among completely quiescent units might produce very interesting dynamical behavior, i.e. previously nonoscillatory systems will become active and start oscillating. The resulting synchronization takes place via antiphase spikes.

Jean-Jacques Zondy A/Professor, Department of Physics, School of Science and Technology, Nazarbayev University, Astana, 010000, Republic of Kazakhstan Jean-Jacques Zondy was born in 1959 in Madagascar. He received his PhD degree in physics from Université Paris-Sud in 1983, in the field of lasers, atomic and molecular physics. In 2001, he received the title of Director of Research (HDR) from the same university. Since 1988, he worked for the French National Bureau of Standards and got specialized in the fields of physical optics, laser physics, nonlinear optics and dynamics, high resolution spectroscopy and optical frequency metrology. He joined Nazarbaev University in 2015 as an associate Professor. His current research interests include theory and applications of self-phaselocked optical parametric oscillators and devices, nonlinear dynamical systems, solid-state laser engineering, mid-IR nonlinear material [email protected] characterization, trace gas sensing. He has published more than 100 peerreviewed scientific papers and more than 200 conference proceedings papers. He is a member of the Optical Society of America and the European Optical Society.

Title: Continuous Wave Optical Parametric Oscillators as versatile Mid-IR tunable source

Abstract: Although inter-sub-band quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are nowadays preferred compact and convenient laser sources (sparsely covering the MIR to THz spectrum) for (trace) molecular sensing in environmental or security issues, optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) based on either periodically-poled nonlinear oxide (PP-LiNbO3 or PPLN) or orientation-patterned III-V semiconductors (OP-GaAs, OPGaP) are serious alternative MIR coherent source providing narrow-linewidth (sub-kHz to MHz) of highpower (Watt-level) widely tunable radiation for high-resolution molecular spectroscopy and sensing and precision measurements in the MIR range. Mature techniques for stabilization and fast tuning of visible/near-IR lasers have been recently extended to these parametric MIR source, mediated by the c(2) nonlinear down-conversion process. I shall highlight the latest results in the idler wave frequency stabilization of cw PPLN-OPOs down to the kHz MIR linewidth level, and report on some line parameter measurements of methane (CH4) using cw OPOs [3]. High-precision sub-Doppler spectroscopic measurements of ro-vibrational transitions in the MIR range using frequency-stabilized OPOs will also be addressed.

Alejandro Aceves Professor, Chair of the Department of Mathematics Southern Methodist University, Dallas TX 75275-0156, USA Work: (214) 768-4907 Alejandro Aceves earned his MS in Applied Mathematics at the California Institute of Technology in 1983 and his PhD in Applied Mathematics, University of Arizona in 1988. Between 1989 and 2008, he moved through the ranks from Assistant to Full Professor of Mathematics at the University of New Mexico, where he held the position of Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics between 2004 and 2008. He is currently Professor and Department Chair of Mathematics at Southern Methodist University. He has had visiting positions at Brown University, Universita di Brescia Italy and Universite di Limoges France and has been a visiting scientist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, the US Air Force Laboratory and Bell Laboratories.

[email protected]

Aceves has worked in the general area of modeling nonlinear wave phenomena predominantly in the field of nonlinear optics and photonics and more recently in climate models. He has authored or co-authored over 90 publications with over 2,600 citations and has mentored numerous PhD students and postdoctoral fellows. He is a senior member of the Optical Society of America (OSA) and a member of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) where he served as Chair of the Nonlinear Waves and Coherent Structures activity group. He has also served as advisor of the mathematical modeling in nonlinear optics of the US Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

Title: Modeling dynamics and light localization in novel photonic structures

Abstract: Recent developments in the areas of nanophotonics and metamaterials present exciting opportunities for the design of faster, smaller, more efficient photonic-based devices. Parallel to technological advances there is a need for theoretical investigations of the dynamics of light propagating in such media. In this talk we will discuss such dynamics in different settings, including PT-symmetric and graphene-based couplers and binary arrays.

Andrei I. Maimistov 1) Department of Physics and Technology of Nanostructures, Moscow Institute for Physics and Technology, Institutskii lane 9, Dolgoprudny, Moscow region, 141700 Russia 2) Department of Solid State Physics and Nanostructures, National Research Nuclear University, Moscow Engineering Physics Institute, Kashirskoe sh. 31, Moscow, 115409 Russia

[email protected]

Andrei I. Maimistov received the Ph.D. (Cand.Sci.) and Ph.D. (Doct.Sci.) degrees in theoretical and mathematical physics from Moscow Engineering Physics Institute, Moscow, Russia, in 1980 and 1996, respectively. He was involved in the study of nonlinear optics, theory of optical solitons, ultrashort and extremely short electromagnetic pulses propagation. He is currently Professor with the Department of Solid State Physics and Nanosystems, National Research Nuclear University, Moscow Engineering Physics Institute and the Department of Physics and Technology of Nanostructures, Moscow Institute for Physics and Technology. He is a coauthor of the book "Nonlinear Optical Waves" (Kluwer, 1999). His current research interests include nonlinear optical effects in artificial materials.

Title: Forward and backward waves in the coupled positive-negative index waveguide arrays and bundles

Abstract: The coupled electromagnetic waves propagating in a waveguide array, which consists of alternating waveguides of positive (PRI) and negative refraction indexes (NRI), are discussed. The forward wave and backward wave interaction is realized in these devices. The pair of positive and negative waveguides acts as an oppositely directional coupler. In linear regime the oppositely directional coupler acts as a mirror. The radiation entering one waveguide leaves the device through the other waveguide at the same end but in the opposite direction. However, if the input pulse power exceeds certain threshold, the steady state solitary wave can be appeared. Numerical simulation of the steady state wave's collision illustrate the robustness of these solitary waves. When pairs of the positive-negative waveguides are collected in array or bundle the spectral properties of the resulted device is modified. We study spectral gaps in these waveguide system demonstrate that the number of waveguides and helical spatial twist of the array can be used to control the size of the gap. Steady state solitary waves of the particular kind will be found. Generalization of the usually waveguide array is zigzag array. Due to zigzag configuration there are interactions between both nearest and next nearest neighboring waveguides exist. The system of evolution equations for coupled waves has the steady state solution describing the electromagnetic pulse running in the array. The 1D and 2D waveguide arrays which are composed from the unit cell containing three waveguides: two PRI-waveguides and one NRI-waveguide can be considered as the photon crystals. In the some case the spectrum of the linear modes of electromagnetic waves in these devices contains both the forbidden bands (gaps) and the flat bands.

Costas Valagiannopoulos A/Professor, Department of Physics, School of Science and Technology, Nazarbayev University, Astana, 010000, Republic of Kazakhstan

konstantinos.valagiannopo [email protected]

Costas Valagiannopoulos joined the Department of Physics of Nazarbayev University (NU) in Astana, Kazakhstan as Assistant Professor the summer of 2015. He graduated with honors receiving his Diploma in Electrical Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), Greece in 2004, and drafted his dissertation on Electromagnetic Theory in 2009. He held research appointments from 2010 to 2015, at the Department of Radio Science and Engineering of the Aalto University in Finland and during the academic year 2014-2015, he was with the Metamaterials and Plasmonics Laboratory in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the University of Texas at Austin, USA. His research interests include Metamaterials, Parity-Time (PT) Photonics and their applications in devices imposing extreme control of the electromagnetic fields as well inverse methods of design in applied mathematics. Topics such Bohm-Aharonov Effect, Electromagnetic Absorbers and Cloaking are part of his research agenda. He has authored or coauthored over 65 manuscripts in archival journals and presented numerous talks in international conferences. He was the recipient of the International Chorafas Prize for the Best Doctoral Thesis in 2008 at National Technical University of Athens and the Academy of Finland Postdoctoral Grant for 2012-2015.

Title: Photonic Structures Characterized by Unboundedly Fast Energy Transfer

Abstract: The speed that electromagnetic energy is transferred from a source to a non-short-circuited load through free space is a quantity which crucially determines the performance of numerous devices such as absorbers, wireless chargers, antennas etc. Therefore, it is worth to study the materials and the configurations leading to a maximal power which is the major objective of this presentation. The basic idea to transfer huge (ideally infinite) power from one point to another is to exploit optimally not only the propagating waves emitted by the source but also the evanescent modes. We found that the optimal load which is conjugately matched to every single mode (propagating or evanescent) of the free space is a combination of two well-known concepts: the Perfectly Matched Layer (PLM) and the Double Negative (DNG) media. In particular, a uniaxial DNG PML material can absorb infinitely fast the electromagnetic energy (when it is a bit lossy) and can emit infinite power (when it is a bit active). Such unbounded results are owed mainly to the evanescent waves which possess infinite spectrum and get coordinated to transfer power back and forth; however, they inevitably vanish in the far region. This nearfield feature is beneficial for the absorbing effect but disastrous for the radiating operation. Therefore, in an attempt to “launch” these huge fields in the far region we use numerous small cylindrical particles acting as radiation “vessels” which improve substantially the emission performance.

Anton Desyatnikov A/Professor, Department of Physics, School of Science and Technology, Nazarbayev University, Astana, 010000, Republic of Kazakhstan Dr. Anton Desyatnikov, since graduating and obtaining his PhD from Moscow Engineering Physical Institute, has worked as a visiting fellow in Australia and Spain, completed prestigious Alexander von Humboldt research fellowship in Germany, and has been working at the Australian National University also as recipient of highly competitive Australian Research Fellowship, before taking up the position of Associate Professor at the Department of Physics, Nazarbayev University in 2015. His main research area is nonlinear and singular optics, including the dynamics of optical solitons and nonlinear waves, optical vortices and polarization singularities, angular momentum of light, and photonic lattices. He is internationally established and active researcher, published 4 book chapters and over 95 journal papers, drives a number of collaborative projects, currently serves as a Chief Investigator in two Discovery Projects funded by the Australian Research Council, as well as [email protected] a Topical Editor in Structured Light, Metamaterials, and Plasmonics in the Journal of the Optical Society of America B.

Title: Pseudospin and angular momentum in photonic lattices

Abstract: Photonic lattices have proven to be an excellent laboratory tool to explore basic wave phenomena in periodic and nonlinear media, strongly linked to electrons in crystals and Bose-Einstein condensates in lattice potentials. The spatial structure of light field absorbs novel degrees of freedom in lattices with singularities in the energy-momentum spectrum, most prominently the sublattice ''pseudospin'' and Dirac cones in photonic graphene. Interestingly, propagation of laser beams near Dirac cones mimics the evolution of relativistic spin 1/2 particles, with the spin replaced by a pseudospin. We discuss some of the most striking phenomena displayed by structured light in pseudospin states: pseudospin-dependent conical diffraction, pseudospin-orbit coupling, and generation of optical vortices. We also consider a generalization of Dirac cones to a higher order conical intersection between three bands. The third band significantly modifies the pseudospin eigenstates; in contrast to photonic graphene the pseudo-spin acquires integer values of unity or zero. The pseudospin also couples to orbital degrees of freedom and is converted to orbital angular momentum, generating single- and double-charge vortices. The generation of double charge vortices here is a unique signature of the pseudospin 1 conical intersection. We anticipate that our results will stimulate novel experimental studies of linear and nonlinear optical effects at these higher order conical intersections.