Marc Achermann

Assistant Professor, Dept. of Physics
Hasbrouck 133, University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003-9292
(413) 545-3472
achermann(at)physics.umass.edu
http://www.people.umass.edu/acherman/

Nanospectroscopy

In our research we are interested in using time-resolved and near-field optical spectroscopy techniques to explore new phenomena that distinguish nanoscale materials from their bulk counterparts and that emerge in nanoscale systems from the interaction of different nanomaterials. Optical techniques are particularly suited to study nanomaterials because their non-invasive nature eliminates direct contact. The spatial resolution provided by near-field optical microscopy allows one to resolve local optical properties, e.g. electro-magnetic mode structures, and to distinguish individual nanostructures in ensembles with large size and shape inhomogeneities.

Honors and Awards

• Los Alamos Achievement Award (2003)

Publications

1. M. Placinta, M.-C. Shen, M. Achermann, R. O. Karlstrom
   A laser pointer driven microheater for precise local heating and conditional gene regulation in vivo
   BMC Biology (2009).
   
2. B. Yang, P. Feng, A. Kumar, R. Katiyar, M. Achermann
   Structural and optical properties of N-doped ZnO nanorod arrays
   Journal of Physics D 42, 195402 (2009).
   
3. Y. Wang, T. Yang, M. T. Tuominen, M. Achermann
   Radiative rate enhancements in hybrid metal-semiconductor nanostructures
   Physical Review Letters 102, 163001 (2009).
   Selected for Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science and Technology, 19 (18).
   
4. S. E. Yalcin, Y. Wang, M. Achermann
   Spectral bandwidth and phase effects of resonantly excited ultrafast surface plasmon pulses
   Applied Physics Letters 93, 101103 (2008).
   Selected for Virtual Journal of Ultrafast Science, 7 (10).
5. J. Nanda, S. A. Ivanov, M. Achermann, I. Bezel, A. Piryatinski, V. I. Klimov
   Light amplification in the single-exciton regime using exciton-exciton repulsion in Type-II nanocrystal quantum dots
   Journal of Physical Chemistry A 111, 15382 (2007).
6. M. Achermann, K. L. Shuford, G. C. Schatz, D. H. Dahanayaka, L. A. Bumm, V. I. Klimov
   Near-field spectroscopy of surface plasmons in flat gold nanoparticles
   Optics Letters 32, 2254 (2007).
   Selected for Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science and Technology, 19 (16).
   Selected for Virtual Journal of Ultrafast Science, 6 (9).
7. V. I. Klimov, S. A. Ivanov, J. Nanda, M. Achermann, I. Bezel, J. A. McGuire, A. Piryatinski
   Single-exciton optical gain in semiconductor nanocrystals
   Nature 447, 441 (2007).
   Selected for Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science and Technology, 15 (22).
8. M. Achermann, A. P. Bartko, J. A. Hollingsworth, V. I. Klimov
   The effect of Auger heating on intraband carrier relaxation in semiconductor quantum rods
   Nature Physics 2, 557 (2006). [cond-mat/0608396]
   Selected for Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science and Technology, 14 (8).
9. M. Achermann, M. A. Petruska, D. D. Koleske, M. H. Crawford, V. I. Klimov
   Nanocrystal-Based Light-Emitting Diodes Utilizing High-Efficiency Nonradiative Energy Transfer for Color Conversion
   Nano Letters 6, 1396 (2006).
10. S. Jeong, M. Achermann, J. Nanda, S. Ivanov, V. I. Klimov, J. A. Hollingsworth,
    Effect of the thiol-thiolate equilibrium on the photophysical properties of aqueous CdSe/ZnS nanocrystal quantum dots
    J. Am. Chem. Soc. 127, 10126 (2005).
11. A. H. Mueller, M. A. Petruska, M. Achermann, D. J. Werder, E. A. Akhadov, D. D. Koleske, M. A. Hoffbauer, and V. I. Klimov
    Multicolor Light-Emitting Diodes Based on Semiconductor Nanocrystals Encapsulated in GaN Charge Injection Layers
    Nano Letters 5, 1039 (2005).
12. S. Kos, M. Achermann, V. I. Klimov, and D. L. Smith
    Different regimes of Forster-type energy transfer between an epitaxial quantum well and a proximal monolayer of semiconductor nanocrystals
    Phys. Rev. B 71, 205309 (2005).
    Selected for Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science and Technology, 11 (21).
13. H. Kim, M. Achermann, L. Balet, J. A. Hollingsworth, and V. I. Klimov
    Synthesis and Characterization of Co/CdSe Core/Shell Nanocomposites: Bi-functional Magnetic-Optical Nanocrystals
    J. Am. Chem. Soc. 127, 544 (2005).
14. L. P. Balet, S. A. Ivanov, A. Piryatinski, M. Achermann, V. I. Klimov
    Inverted core/shell nanocrystals continuously tunable between Type-I and Type-II localization regimes
    Nanoletters 4, 1485 (2004).
15. S. A. Ivanov, J. Nanda, A. Piryatinski, M. Achermann, L. P. Balet, I. V. Bezel, P. O. Anikeeva, S. Tretiak, V. I. Klimov
    Light Amplification Using Inverted Core/Shell Nanocrystals: Towards Lasing in the Single-Exciton Regime
    J. Phys. Chem. B 108, 10625 (2004).
16. M. Achermann, M. A. Petruska, S. Kos, D. L. Smith, D. D. Koleske, V. I. Klimov
    Energy- transfer pumping of semiconductor nanocrystals using an epitaxial quantum well
    Nature 429, 642 (2004).
    Selected for Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science and Technology, 9 (24).
17. I. A. Larkin, M. I. Stockman, M. Achermann, V. I. Klimov
    Dipolar emitters at nanoscale proximity of metal surfaces: Giant enhancement of relaxation in microscopic theory
    Phys. Rev. B 69, 121403(R) (2004).
18. M. Achermann, M. A. Petruska, S. A. Crooker, V. I Klimov
    Picosecond energy transfer in quantum dot Langmuir-Blodgett nanoassemblies
    J. Phys. Chem. B 107, 13782 (2003).
19. M. Achermann, J.A. Hollingsworth, V.I. Klimov
    Multiexcitons confined within a sub-excitonic volume: Spectroscopic and dynamical signatures of neutral and charged biexcitons in ultrasmall semiconductor quantum dots
    Phys. Rev. B 68, 245302 (2003).
    Selected for Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science and Technology, 8 (24).
    Selected for Virtual Journal of Ultrafast Science, 3 (1).
20. M. Achermann, U. Siegner, U. Keller
    Ultrafast goes local
    Materials Science Forum 384, 233-240 (2002).
21. M. Achermann, U. Siegner, L.-E. Wernersson, U. Keller
    Nano-scale Schottky contacts: Ultrafast drift-diffusion dynamics studied in the optical near-field
    Phisica E 13, 819-822 (2002).
22. M. Achermann, U. Siegner, L.-E. Wernersson, U. Keller
    Carrier dynamics around nano-scale Schottky contacts: A femtosecond near-field study
    Appl. Surf. Sci. 190, 513-516 (2002).
23. M. Achermann, F. Morier-Genoud, W. Seifert, L.-E. Wernersson, U. Siegner, U. Keller
    Carrier and field dynamics around nano-scale Schottky contacts investigated by ultrafast near-field optics
    Phys. Rev. B 65, 045322 (2002).
    Selected for Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science and Technology, 5 (3).
24. U. Siegner, M. Achermann, U. Keller
    Spatially resolved femtosecond spectroscopy beyond the diffraction limit
    Invited Paper, Meas. Sci. Tech. 12, 1847-1857 (2001).
25. M. Achermann, U. Siegner, L.-E. Wernersson, U. Keller
    Ultrafast carrier dynamics around nanoscale Schottky contacts studied by femtosecond far- and near-field optics
    Appl. Phys. Lett. 77, 3370-3372 (2000).
    Selected for Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science and Technology, 2 (22).
26. N. Del Fatti, C. Voisin, M. Achermann, S. Tzortzakis, D. Christofilos, F. Vallee
    Nonequilibrium electron dynamics in noble metals
    Phys. Rev. B 61, 16956-16966 (2000).
27. S. Schon, M. Haiml, M. Achermann, U. Keller
    Growth and nonlinear optical properties of GaAs absorber layers for AlGaAs/CaF2 semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors
    J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 18, 1701-1705 (2000).
28. M. Achermann, B.A. Nechay, U. Siegner, A. Hartmann, D. Oberli, E. Kapon, U. Keller
    Quantization energy mapping of single V-groove GaAs quantum wires by femtosecond near-field optics
    Appl. Phys. Lett. 76, 2695-2697 (2000).
    Selected for Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science and Technology, 1 (18).
29. M. Achermann, B. A. Nechay, F. Morier-Genoud, A. Schertel, U. Siegner, U. Keller
    Direct experimental observation of different diffusive transport regimes in semiconductor nanostructures
    Phys. Rev. B 60, 2101-2105 (1999).
30. B.A. Nechay, U. Siegner, M. Achermann, H. Bielefeldt, U. Keller
    Femtosecond Pump-Probe Near-Field Optical Microscopy
    Review of Scientific Instruments 70, 2758-2764 (1999).
31. B.A. Nechay, U. Siegner, M. Achermann, F. Morier-Genoud, A. Schertel, U. Keller
    Femtosecond Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscopy
    Journal of Microscopy 194, 329-334 (1999).