Computational Optics Group

SUBMITTED/TO-BE SUBMITTED MANUSCRIPTS

“Raman spectroscopy at metal interfaces: a numerical study of the strong coupling regime”. Z. Zhou, M. Sukharev, A. Nitzan, J. E. Subotnik Journal of Chemical Physics (2026, accepted). arXiv:2605.27609

PUBLISHED AND ACCEPTED PAPERS IN THE REFEREED JOURNALS

“Universal scaling and many-body resurrection of polaritonic double-quantum coherences”, M. Sukharev Physical Review Letters 137, 093802 (2026).
“Linear and nonlinear vibrational activation driven by molecular polaritons”, W. Ying, C. M. Bustamante, F. P. Bonafe, R. Richardson, M. Ruggenthaler, M. Sukharev, A. Rubio, A. Nitzan Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation 22, 7082 (2026).
“Interference-limited absorption in dense molecular nanolayers near reflecting surfaces”, Z. Zhou, M. Sukharev, A. Nitzan, J. E. Subotnik Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 17, 4793 (2026).
“Collective Rabi-driven vibrational activation in molecular polaritons”, C. M. Bustamante, F. P. Bonafe, R. Richardson, M. Ruggenthaler, W. Ying, A. Nitzan, M. Sukharev, A. Rubio, Nano Letters 26, 5298 (2026).
“Interference-engineered metal-ITO metasurfaces for tailored second- and third-harmonic emission”, C. Stevens, M. Klein, A. Luo, D. Walker, S. R. Vangala, J. R. Hendrickson, I. Avrutsky, M. Sukharev, ACS Applied Optical Materials 3, 2910 (2025).
“Density-functional tight binding meets Maxwell: unraveling the mysteries of (strong) light-matter interaction efficiently”, D. Sidler, C. M. Bustamante, F. P. Bonafe, M. Ruggenthaler, M. Sukharev, A. Rubio, Nanophotonics 14, 4941-4955 (2025).
“Molecular polariton dynamics in realistic cavities”, C. M. Bustamante, F. P. Bonafe, M. Sukharev, M. Ruggenthaler, A. Nitzan, A. Rubio, Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation 21, 9823 (2025).
“Unveiling the Dance of Molecules: Ro-Vibrational Dynamics of Molecules under Intense Illumination at Complex Plasmonic Interfaces”, M. Sukharev, J. Subotnik, A. Nitzan, Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation 21, 2165 (2025).
“Harnessing complexity: nonlinear optical phenomena in L-shapes, nanocrescents, and split-ring resonators”, M. R. Clark, S. A. Shah, A. Piryatinski, M. Sukharev, Journal of Chemical Physics 161, 104107 (2024).
“Nanophotonics out of equilibrium”, A. Manjavacas, M. Pelton, M. Sheldon, M. Sukharev, Nanophotonics 13, 1939 (2024).
“Interplay of gain and loss in arrays of nonlinear plasmonic nanoparticles: toward parametric down-conversion and amplification”, S. Shah, M. R. Clark, J. Zyss, M. Sukharev, A. Piryatinski, Optics Letters 49, 1680 (2024).
“On nature of two-photon transitions for a collection of molecules in a Fabry-Perot cavity”, Z. Zhou, H. T. Chen, M. Sukharev, J. E. Subotnik, A. Nitzan, Journal of Chemical Physics 160, 094107 (2024).
“Nature of polariton transport in a Fabry-Perot cavity”, Z. Zhou, H. T. Chen, M. Sukharev, J. E. Subotnik, A. Nitzan, Physical Review A 109, 033717 (2024).
“Comparing semiclassical mean-field and 1-exciton approximations in evaluating optical response under strong light-matter coupling conditions”, Bingyu Cui, Maxim Sukharev, and Abraham Nitzan, Journal of Chemical Physics 158, 164113 (2023).
“Short-time particle motion in a one-dimensional lattice with site disorder”, Bingyu Cui, Maxim Sukharev, and Abraham Nitzan, Journal of Chemical Physics 158, 164112 (2023).
“Degenerate parametric down-conversion facilitated by exciton-plasmon polariton states in nonlinear plasmonic cavity”, A. Piryatinski and M. Sukharev, Nanotechnology 34, 175001 (2023).
“Dissociation slowdown by collective optical response under strong coupling conditions”, M. Sukharev, J. Subotnik, A. Nitzan, (Editor’s Choice) Journal of Chemical Physics 158, 084104 (2023).
“Efficient parallel strategy for molecular plasmonics – a numerical tool for integrating Maxwell-Schrödinger equations in three dimensions”, M. Sukharev, Journal of Computational Physics 477, 111920 (2023).
“Advances in Modeling Plasmonic Systems: Editorial”, F. Della Sala, R. Pachter, M. Sukharev, Journal of Chemical Physics 157, 190401 (2022).
“Interplay between disorder and collective coherent response: superradiance and spectral motional narrowing in the time domain”, H.-T. Chen, Z. Zhou, M. Sukharev, J. E. Subotnik, A. Nitzan, Physical Review A 106, 053703 (2022).
“Fano plasmonics goes nonlinear”, M. Sukharev, E. Drobnyh, R. Pachter, Journal of Chemical Physics 157, 134105 (2022).
“High yield synthesis and quadratic nonlinearities of gold nanoprisms in solution: the role of corner sharpness”, H. M. Ngo, E. Drobnyh, M. Sukharev, Q. K. Vo, J. Zyss, I. Ledoux-Rak, Israel Journal of Chemistry e202200009 (2022).
“Coupling, lifetimes, and “strong coupling” maps for single molecules at plasmonic interfaces”, M. Mondal, M. A. Ochoa, M. Sukharev, A. Nitzan, Journal of Chemical Physics 156, 154303 (2022).
“Strong coupling between an inverse bowtie nano-antenna and a J-aggregate”, A. Weissman, M. Sukharev, A. Salomon, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 610, 438 (2021).
“Second harmonic generation by strongly coupled exciton-plasmons: the role of polaritonic states in nonlinear dynamics”, M. Sukharev, A. Salomon, J. Zyss, Journal of Chemical Physics 154, 244701 (2021).
“Second-harmonic generation in nonlinear plasmonic lattices enhanced by quantum emitter gain medium”, M. Sukharev, O. Roslyak, A. Piryatinski, Journal of Chemical Physics 154, 084703 (2021).
“Second harmonic generation from a single plasmonic nanorod strongly coupled to a WSe2 monolayer”, C. Li, X. Lu, A. Srivastava, S. D. Storm, R. Gelfand, M. Pelton, M. Sukharev, H. Harutyunyan, Nano Letters 21, 1599 (2020).
“Wavelength and polarization dependence of second harmonic responses from gold nanocrescent arrays”, H. Maekawa, E. Drobnyh, C. A. Lancaster, N. Large, G. C. Schatz, J. S. Shumaker-Parry, M. Sukharev, N.-H. Ge, Journal of Physical Chemistry C 124, 20424 (2020).
“Plasmon enhanced second harmonic generation by periodic arrays of triangular nanoholes coupled to molecular emitters”, E. Drobnyh and M. Sukharev, (Editor’s Choice) Journal of Chemical Physics 152, 094706 (2020).
“Energy transfer and interference by collective electromagnetic coupling”, M. Gómez-Castaño, A. R. Cubero, L. Buisson, J. L. Pau, A. Mihi, S. Ravaine, R. A. L. Vallée, A. Nitzan, M. Sukharev, Nano Letters 19, 5790 (2019).
“Harmonic generation by metal nanostructures optically coupled to a few-layer thin transition metal dichalcogenides”, E. Drobnyh, R. Pachter, M. Sukharev, Journal of Physical Chemistry C 123, 6898 (2019).
“Modeling optical coupling of plasmons and inhomogeneously broadened emitters”, T. Purcell, M. Sukharev, T. Seideman, Journal of Chemical Physics 150, 124112 (2019).
“Ehrenfest+R Dynamics II: A semiclassical QED framework for Raman scattering”, H.-T. Chen, T. E. Li, M. Sukharev, A. Nitzan, J. E. Subotnik, Journal of Chemical Physics 150, 044103 (2019).
“Ehrenfest+R Dynamics I: A Mixed Quantum-Classical Electrodynamics Simulation of Spontaneous Emission”, H.-T. Chen, T. E. Li, M. Sukharev, A. Nitzan, J. E. Subotnik, Journal of Chemical Physics 150, 044102 (2019).
“A necessary tradeoff for semiclassical electrodynamics: accurate short-range Coulomb interactions versus the enforcement of relativistic causality?”, T. E. Li, H.-T. Chen, A. Nitzan, M. Sukharev, J. E. Subotnik, Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 9, 5955 (2018).
“Mixed quantum-classical electrodynamics: understanding spontaneous decay and zero-point energy”, T. E. Li, A. Nitzan, M. Sukharev, T. Martinez, H.-T. Chen, J. E. Subotnik, Physical Review A 97, 032105 (2018).
“Effects of exciton-plasmon strong coupling on third harmonic generation by two-dimensional WS2 at periodic plasmonic interfaces”, M. Sukharev, R. Pachter, Journal of Chemical Physics 148, 094701 (2018).
“Topical Review: optics of exciton-plasmon nanomaterials”, M. Sukharev, A. Nitzan, Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter 29, 443003 (2017).
“Molecular plasmonics: strong coupling at the low concentration limit”, L. Efremushkin, M. Sukharev, A. Salomon, Journal of Physical Chemistry C 121, 14819 (2017).
“Plasmonic opals: observation of collective molecular exciton mode beyond the strong coupling”, P. Fauche, C. Gebhardt, M. Sukharev, R. A. L. Vallee, Scientific Reports 7, 4107 (2017).
“Molecular plasmonics: the role of ro-vibrational molecular states in exciton-plasmon materials under strong coupling conditions”, M. Sukharev, E. Charron, Physical Review B 95, 115406 (2017).
“Photon echo in exciton-plasmon nanomaterials: a time-dependent signature of strong coupling”, A. Blake, M. Sukharev, Journal of Chemical Physics 146, 084704 (2017).
“Non-Hermitian wave packet approximation for coupled two-level systems in weak and intense fields”, R. Puthumpally-Joseph, M. Sukharev, E. Charron, Journal of Chemical Physics 144, 154109 (2016).
“Plasmon transmission through excitonic subwavelength gaps”, M. Sukharev, A. Nitzan, Journal of Chemical Physics 144, 144703 (2016).
“Surface plasmon-polaritons in periodic arrays of V-grooves strongly coupled to quantum emitters”, A. Blake, M. Sukharev, Physical Review B 92, 035433 (2015).
“Optical response of hybrid plasmon-exciton nanomaterials in the presence of overlapping resonances”, M. Sukharev, P. N. Day, R. Pachter, ACS Photonics 2, 935 (2015).
“Coherent phase control of internal conversion in pyrazine”, R. J. Gordon, Z. Hu, T. Seideman, S. Singha, M. Sukharev, Y. Zhao, Journal of Chemical Physics 142, 144311 (2015).
“Theoretical analysis of dipole-induced electromagnetic transparency”, R. Puthumpally-Joseph, O. Atabek, M. Sukharev, E. Charron, Physical Review A 91, 043835 (2015).
“Collective effects in subwavelength hybrid systems: a numerical study”, M. Sukharev and S. Malinovskaya, Molecular Physics 113, 392 (2014).
“Dipole-induced electromagnetic transparency”, R. Puthumpally-Joseph, M. Sukharev, O. Atabek, E. Charron, Physical Review Letters 113, 163603 (2014).
“Control of optical properties of hybrid materials with chirped femtosecond laser pulses under strong coupling conditions”, M. Sukharev, Journal of Chemical Physics 141, 084712 (2014).
“Numerical calculations of radiative and non-radiative relaxation of molecules near metal particles”, M. Sukharev, N. Freifeld, and A. Nitzan, Journal of Physical Chemistry C 118, 10545 (2014).
“Ultrafast energy transfer between molecular assemblies and surface plasmons in hybrid nano-materials in the strong coupling regime”, M. Sukharev, T. Seideman, R. J. Gordon, A. Salomon, and Y. Prior, ACS Nano 8, 807 (2014).
“Non-Hermitian wave packet propagation for the calculation of optical properties of ensembles of coupled quantum emitters”, E. Charron and M. Sukharev, Journal of Chemical Physics 138, 024108 (2013).
“Molecular nanoplasmonics: self-consistent electrodynamics in current carrying junctions”, A. White, M. Sukharev, and M. Galperin, Physical Review B 86, 205324 (2012).
“Stimulated Raman adiabatic passage as a route to achieving optical control in plasmonics”, M. Sukharev and S. A. Malinovskaya, Physical Review A 86, 043406 (2012).
“Strong coupling between molecular excited states and surface plasmon modes of a slit array in a thin metal film”, A. Salomon, R. J. Gordon, Y. Prior, T. Seideman, and M. Sukharev, Physical Review Letters 109, 073002 (2012).
“Numerical studies of the interaction of an atomic sample with the electromagnetic field in two dimensions”, M. Sukharev and A. Nitzan, Physical Review A 84, 043802 (2011).
“Light-induced current in molecular junctions: local field and non-Markov effects”, B. D. Fainberg, M. Sukharev, T.-H. Park, and M. Galperin, Physical Review B 83, 205425 (2011).
“Surface-enhanced Raman scattering from silver-coated opals”, W. Mu, D.-Q. Hwang, R. P. H. Chang, M. Sukharev, D. B. Tice, and J. B. Ketterson, Journal of Chemical Physics 134, 124312 (2011).
“Computational nano-optics: parallel simulations and beyond”, M. Sukharev, Optics and Photonics News 22, 29 – 33 (2011).
“Transport and optical response of molecular junctions driven by surface plasmon-polaritons”, M. Sukharev and M. Galperin, Physical Review B 81, 165307 (2010).
“One-dimensional long-range plasmonic-photonic structures”, W. Mu, D. B. Buchkolz, M. Sukharev, J. Jang, R. P. H. Chang, and J. B. Ketterson, Optics Letters 35, 550 (2010).
“Nonadiabatic photodissociation dynamics of F2 in solid Ar”, M. Sukharev, A. Cohen, R. B. Gerber, and T. Seideman, invited paper Laser Physics 19, 1651 (2009).
“Perfect coupling of light to surface plasmons with ultra-narrow linewidths”, M. Sukharev, P. R. Sievert, T. Seideman, and J. B. Ketterson, Journal of Chemical Physics 131, 034708 (2009).
“Optical properties of metal tips for tip-enhanced spectroscopies”, M. Sukharev and T. Seideman, Journal of Physical Chemistry A 113, 7508 (2009).
“Laser field alignment of organic molecules on semiconductor surfaces: toward ultra-fast molecular switches”, M. G. Reuter, M. Sukharev, and T. Seideman, Physical Review Letters 101, 208303 (2008).
“Optimal design of nanoplasmonic materials using genetic algorithms as a multi-parameter optimization tool”, J. Yelk, M. Sukharev, and T. Seideman, Journal of Chemical Physics 129, 064706 (2008).
“Nanoparticle spectroscopy: birefringence in 2D arrays of L-shaped silver nanoparticles”, J. Sung, M. Sukharev, E. M. Hicks, R. P. Van Duyne, T, Seideman, and K. G. Spears, Journal of Physical Chemistry C 112, 3252 (2008).
“Optical properties of metal nanoparticles with no center of inversion symmetry: observation of volume plasmons”, M. Sukharev, J. Sung, K. G. Spears, and T. Seideman, Physical Review B 76, 184302 (2007).
“Numerical analysis of a slit-groove diffraction problem”, M. Besbes, J. P. Hugonin, P. Lalanne, S. van Haver, O. T. A. Jansse, A. M. Nugrowati, M. Xu, S. F. Pereira, H. P. Urbach, A. S. van de Nes, P. Bienstman, G. Granet, S. Helfert, M. Sukharev, T. Seideman, F. I. Baida, B. Guizal, D. Van Labeke, Journal of the European Optical Society: Rapid Publications 2, 07022 (2007).
“Light trapping and guidance in plasmonic nanocrystals”, M. Sukharev and T. Seideman, Journal of Chemical Physics 126, 204702 (2007).
“Coherent control of light propagation via nanoparticle arrays”, M. Sukharev and T. Seideman, Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular & Optical Physics 40, S283 (2007).
“Surface quality and surface waves on subwavelength-structured silver films”, G. Gay, O. Alloschery, J. Weiner, H. J. Lezec, C. O'Dwyer, M. Sukharev, and T. Seideman, Physical Review E 75, 016612 (2007).
“The response of nanostructured surfaces in the near field”, G. Gay, O. Alloschery, J. Weiner, H. J. Lezec, C. O'Dwyer, M. Sukharev, and T. Seideman, Nature Physics, 2, 792 (2006).
“Coherent control approaches to light guidance in the nanoscale”, M. Sukharev and T. Seideman, Journal of Chemical Physics, 124, 144707 (2006).
“Phase and polarization control as a route to plasmonics nanodevices”, M. Sukharev and T. Seideman, Nano Letters, 6, 715 (2006).
“Optical control of nonradiative decay in polyatomic molecules”, M. Sukharev and T. Seideman, Physical Review A, 71, 012509 (2005).
“Optimal control approach to suppression of radiationless transitions”, M. Sukharev and T. Seideman, Physical Review Letters, 93, 093004 (2004).
“Influence of electron correlations on strong field ionization of calcium”, E. Charron, M. Sukharev, and A. Suzor-Weiner, Laser Physics Letters, 1, 18 (2004).
“Approximations of adiabatic elimination of the continuum for the calculation of photodissociation in intense laser fields”, M. Sukharev, E. Charron, A. Suzor-Weiner, and M. V. Fedorov, International. Journal of Quantum Chemistry, 99, 452 (2004).
“Enhancement of strong-field two-electron ionization”, M. Sukharev, E. Charron, and A. Suzor-Weiner, Laser Physics, 13, 484 (2003).
“Excitation of sound waves upon propagation of laser pulses in optical fibers” (invited paper), A. S. Biriukov, M. Sukharev, and E. M. Dianov, Quantum Electronics, 32, 765 (2002).
“Quantum control of double ionization of calcium”, M. Sukharev, E. Charron, and A. Suzor-Weiner, Physical Review A, 66, 053407 (2002).
“Interference stabilization of molecules with respect to photodissociation by a strong laser field”, M. Sukharev and M.V. Fedorov, Physical Review A, 65, 033419 (2002).
“Strong-field interference stabilization in molecules”, M. Sukharev and M.V. Fedorov, Laser Physics, 12, 491 (2002).
“Population effects in high-order harmonic generation by the hydrogen molecular ion in a strong laser field”, M. E. Sukharev and V. P. Krainov, Physical Review A, 62, 033404 (2000).
“Electrostrictive response in single-mode ring-index-profile fibers”, E. M. Dianov, M. E. Sukharev, and A. S. Biriukov, Optics Letters, 25, 390 (2000).
“Vibration, rotation, and dissociation of molecular ions in a strong laser field”, M. Sukharev and V. P. Krainov, Journal of Optical Society of America B, 15, 2201 (1998).
“Rotation and alignment of diatomic molecules and their molecular ions in strong laser field”, M. Sukharev and V. P. Krainov, Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics, 86, 318 (1998).
“Dissociation of hydrogen and deuterium molecular ions by strong low-frequency laser field”, M. Sukharev and V. P. Krainov, Laser Physics, 7, 803 (1997).
“Field-dependent Franck-Condon factors for the ionization of molecular hydrogen and deuterium”, M. Sukharev and V. P. Krainov, Laser Physics, 7, 323 (1997).
“Franck-Condon factors for the ionization of hydrogen and deuterium molecules in laser fields”, M. Sukharev and V. P. Krainov, Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics 83, 457 (1996).

BOOK CHAPTERS

“Optics of hybrid nanomaterials in the strong coupling regime”, A. Blake and M. Sukharev, in “Nanoscale Materials and Devices for Electronics, Photonics and Solar Energy”, ed. S. Goodnick, A. Korkin, and R. Nemanich (ISBN 9783319186337, Springer, 2015).
“Linear optical properties of periodic hybrid materials at oblique incidence: a numerical approach”, A. Blake and M. Sukharev, in Review Volume “From Atomic to Mesoscale: The Role of Quantum Coherence in Systems of Various Complexity”, ed. I. Novikova and S. Malinovskaya (ISBN 9789814678698, World Scientific, 2015).
“Plasmonics – computational approach”, M. Sukharev, in “Mathematical Optics: Classical, Quantum, and Imaging Methods”, ed. V. Lakshminarayanan (ISBN 9781439869604, CRC Press, 2012).
“Finite-difference time-domain technique”, M. Sukharev, in Encyclopedia of Nanotechnology, Section on Nano-optical Devices (ISBN 9789048197514, Springer, 2012).
“Plasmonics: towards a new paradigm for light manipulation at the nanoscale”, M. Sukharev, in “Nanobiophotonics”, ed. G. Popescu, (ISBN 9780071737012, McGraw-Hill, 2010).

PAPERS FOR GENERAL AUDIENCE

“Debunking pseudoscientific claims in the era of Internet and alternative news”, M. Sukharev (2019), arXiv:1906.06165.
“Physics of nano-optics spur sophisticated models”, M. Sukharev, Laser Focus World Magazine 47, 39 (2011).

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

“Phase-Polarization Control as a Route to Plasmonics Nanodevices”, M. Sukharev and T. Seideman, Proceedings of SPIE, 6115, 611517 (2006).
“Electrostriction-induced acoustic response in single-mode ring-index profile fibers with larger than 100µm2 effective mode area”, Y. Jaouën, E. M. Dianov, L. du Mouza, A. S. Biriukov, M. Sukharev, G. Debarge, P. Nouchi, and L. A. de Montmorillon, Proceedings of European Conference of Optical Communication 2000, 3, 95 (2000).
“Electrostrictive response in single-mode ring-index-profile fibers”, E. M. Dianov, M. Sukharev, and A. S. Biriukov, Proceedings of SPIE, 4083, 23 (2000).
“Electrostrictive response in single-mode ring-index profile with large effective mode area”, E. M. Dianov, M. E. Sukharev, and A. S. Biriukov, IEEE Proceedings (Optical Fiber Communication Conference 2000), paper ThR5-1, 3, 264 (2000).

PRESS RELEASES

“Physicist advances nano-optics research and student innovation”, CISA Blog, December 2025. https://cisa.asu.edu/Physicist-advances-nano-optics-research-and-student-innovation
“Pseudoscience is a danger, says ASU physics prof”, Marshall Terrill, ASU Now, August 13 2019. https://asunow.asu.edu/20190807-discoveries-asu-physics-professor-delves-depths-pseudo-scientific
“Why you should never go to the movies with a physicist”, Maureen Roen, ASU Now, August 2018. https://asunow.asu.edu/20180824-creativity-why-you-should-never-go-movies-physicist-0
2016 Editor’s Choice – “Non-Hermitian wave packet approximation for coupled two-level systems in weak and intense fields”, R. Puthumpally-Joseph, M. Sukharev, E. Charron, Journal of Chemical Physics 144, 154109 (2016) http://scitationinfo.org/p/1XPS-38J/jcpeditorschoice2016
“Light-matter interaction can turn opaque materials transparent”, Lisa Zyga, Phys.org, October 2014.

http://phys.org/news/2014-10-light-matter-interaction-opaque-materials-transparent.html

“Step in line”, Research Highlights, Nature Photonics, Vol. 3, January 2009, p. 5.
“Numerical Approach Guides Light in the Nanoscale”, Argonne Leadership Computing Facilities, Project Highlights

http://www.alcf.anl.gov/collaborations/projects/control_light.php

“INCITE Allocation Helps Achieve Coherent Control of Light in Nanoscale Devices”, ASCR DOE computing news roundup, September 2007:

http://www.er.doe.gov/ascr/News/MonthlyNewsRoundup9-07.html

“Toward Coherent Control in the Nanoscale”, Tamar Seideman, 2physics.com, June 2007.

http://2physics.blogspot.com/2007/06/toward-coherent-control-in-nanoscale.html

“Tiny spheres could control light”, Belle Dumé, Physicsweb.org, June 2007.

http://physicsweb.org/articles/news/11/6/7/1

“Nanoparticle arrays control light”, Belle Dumé, Nanotechweb.org, June 2007.

http://nanotechweb.org/articles/news/6/6/11/1

“Guiding light in the nanoscale via nanoparticle arrays”, Michael Berger, Nanowerk, March 2006.

http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=318.php