Plasmon mode engineering with electrons on helium

Abstract An ensemble of electrons trapped above superfluid helium offers a paradigm system for investigating and controlling collective charge dynamics in low-dimensional electronic matter. Of particular interest is the ability to spatially control and engineer surface plasmons for integration with...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Camille A. Mikolas, Niyaz R. Beysengulov, Austin J. Schleusner, David G. Rees, Camryn Undershute, Johannes Pollanen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60305-3
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Abstract An ensemble of electrons trapped above superfluid helium offers a paradigm system for investigating and controlling collective charge dynamics in low-dimensional electronic matter. Of particular interest is the ability to spatially control and engineer surface plasmons for integration with hybrid quantum systems and circuit quantum electrodynamic device architectures. Here we present experiments using an electron-on-helium microchannel device that hosts microwave-frequency plasmons, generated via local microwave excitation in an electrostatically defined central channel. By precisely varying the electron density, we demonstrate tunability of plasmon mode frequencies over several GHz. Additionally, we find that the power dependence of these modes can be used to investigate both homogeneous and inhomogeneous sources of spectral broadening. These results demonstrate the versatility of electrons on helium for probing collective excitations in low-dimensional Coulomb liquids and solids, and demonstrate a path for integrating engineered plasmons in electrons on helium with hybrid circuit quantum electrodynamic systems.
ISSN:2041-1723