Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy01:16

Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy

Confocal microscopy is an advanced microscopic technique. The prime advantage of the confocal microscope over other microscopy techniques is its ability to block the out-of-focus light from the illuminated samples using pinholes. It is widely used with fluorescence optics to obtain high-resolution, sharp contrast images. Unlike optical microscopes, confocal microscopes use a focused beam of light laser to scan the entire sample surface at different z-planes. These microscopes are, therefore,...
The Electromagnetic Spectrum01:24

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

Electromagnetic waves are categorized according to their wavelengths and frequencies, giving the electromagnetic spectrum. These waves are classified as radio, infrared, ultraviolet, etc. Radio waves refer to electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths ranging from millimeters to kilometers. Radio waves are commonly used for audio communications (i.e., radios) and typically result from an alternating current in the wires of a broadcast antenna. They cover a broad wavelength range and are used...
Standing Waves in a Cavity01:28

Standing Waves in a Cavity

A household microwave and lasers are examples of standing electromagnetic waves in a cavity. When two conducting metal plates are placed parallel at the nodal planes, it creates a cavity where standing waves are formed. The cavity between the two planes is analogous to a stretched string held at the points x = 0 and x = L. Here, the distance 'L' between the two planes must be an integer multiple of half of the wavelength. The wavelengths that satisfy this condition are given by:
Mass Analyzers: Overview01:13

Mass Analyzers: Overview

The mass analyzer is a crucial component of the mass spectrometer. In the ionization chamber, the vaporized sample is bombarded with a high-energy electron beam to generate a radical cation and further fragment into neutral molecules, radicals, and cations. A series of negatively charged accelerator plates accelerate the cations into the mass analyzer. The mass analyzer separates ions according to their mass-to-charge (m/z) ratios and then directs them to the detector. The common types of mass...
Mass Analyzers: Common Types01:19

Mass Analyzers: Common Types

The quadrupole mass analyzer consists of four cylindrical metal rods arranged in a diamond carrying a DC voltage and a radio-frequency AC voltage. The motion of ions through the quadrupole depends on the field strength, causing only ions of a certain m/z to resonate successfully and strike the detector at a given field strength. Though the transmission rate for these analyzers is high, the exact elemental composition of the sample is not determined because of low resolution; however, they are...
Electronic Distance Measuring Instruments01:30

Electronic Distance Measuring Instruments

Electronic Distance Measuring Instruments (EDMs) are essential tools in modern surveying, offering precise distance measurements by emitting electromagnetic signals and calculating the time required for these signals to travel to a target and return. Two primary types of signals are used in EDMs — light waves and microwaves — each suited to specific environmental and distance requirements. Light-wave-based EDMs utilize either infrared or laser light, providing high accuracy over short distances...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Full-field dual modulation fluorescence lifetime imaging on rare earth ion upconversion.

Optics express·2026
Same author

All-2D vertical metal-semiconductor field-effect transistor with sub-10 nm channel and contact lengths.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Layer-number-parity-dependent abnormal magnetic ordering in few-layer CrI3 on N-face AlN substrate.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

A quantum kinetic theory of photon Bose-Einstein condensation in semiconductors.

Reports on progress in physics. Physical Society (Great Britain)·2026
Same author

Integrating an Organocatalyst into a Polymeric Gel Framework for the Continuous Microflow Baylis-Hillman Reaction.

ACS omega·2026
Same author

A functionalization-free plasmonic hole-sphere nanogap SERS platform for reliable on-site analysis and oxide-state classification.

Nanoscale·2026
Same journal

Daily briefing: 'Cyborg' cockroaches breathe underwater with printed suit.

Nature·2026
Same journal

China boosts prestigious grants for young scientists - will it ease competition?

Nature·2026
Same journal

Incoming US science academy chief vows to 'double down' on research.

Nature·2026
Same journal

Author Correction: Synthesis of enantioenriched atropisomers by biocatalytic deracemization.

Nature·2026
Same journal

Electrodeposited self-assembled molecules for perovskite photovoltaics.

Nature·2026
Same journal

Neutrino's nursery found: the 'Shadow Blaster'.

Nature·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Determination of the Excitation and Coupling Rates Between Light Emitters and Surface Plasmon Polaritons
07:39

Determination of the Excitation and Coupling Rates Between Light Emitters and Surface Plasmon Polaritons

Published on: July 21, 2018

Plasmon lasers at deep subwavelength scale.

Rupert F Oulton1, Volker J Sorger, Thomas Zentgraf

  • 1NSF Nanoscale Science and Engineering Centre, 3112 Etcheverry Hall, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.

Nature
|September 1, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed nanometre-scale plasmonic lasers, achieving optical modes 100 times smaller than the diffraction limit. This breakthrough utilizes a hybrid plasmonic waveguide for enhanced light-matter interactions and potential applications in advanced technologies.

More Related Videos

Femtosecond Laser Filaments for Use in Sub-Diffraction-Limited Imaging and Remote Sensing
06:16

Femtosecond Laser Filaments for Use in Sub-Diffraction-Limited Imaging and Remote Sensing

Published on: April 25, 2019

Monitoring Conformational Dynamics of Single Unmodified Proteins using Plasmonic Nanotweezers
09:33

Monitoring Conformational Dynamics of Single Unmodified Proteins using Plasmonic Nanotweezers

Published on: March 21, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Determination of the Excitation and Coupling Rates Between Light Emitters and Surface Plasmon Polaritons
07:39

Determination of the Excitation and Coupling Rates Between Light Emitters and Surface Plasmon Polaritons

Published on: July 21, 2018

Femtosecond Laser Filaments for Use in Sub-Diffraction-Limited Imaging and Remote Sensing
06:16

Femtosecond Laser Filaments for Use in Sub-Diffraction-Limited Imaging and Remote Sensing

Published on: April 25, 2019

Monitoring Conformational Dynamics of Single Unmodified Proteins using Plasmonic Nanotweezers
09:33

Monitoring Conformational Dynamics of Single Unmodified Proteins using Plasmonic Nanotweezers

Published on: March 21, 2025

Area of Science:

  • Optics and Photonics
  • Materials Science
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • Conventional lasers are limited by diffraction, restricting optical mode size and device dimensions to half the optical field's wavelength.
  • Achieving ultracompact lasers generating coherent optical fields at the nanometre scale, far beyond the diffraction limit, remains a fundamental challenge.
  • Surface plasmons offer light localization but are hindered by ohmic losses at optical frequencies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To experimentally demonstrate nanometre-scale plasmonic lasers.
  • To overcome ohmic losses in plasmonic structures for ultrasmall optical modes.
  • To explore the downscaling of laser device dimensions and optical modes.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing a hybrid plasmonic waveguide composed of a cadmium sulphide semiconductor nanowire and a silver surface.
  • Employing a 5-nm-thick insulating gap within the waveguide to reduce losses.
  • Measuring emission lifetimes to assess spontaneous emission rates and lasing behavior.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated nanometre-scale plasmonic lasers with optical modes 100 times smaller than the diffraction limit.
  • Observed a broadband enhancement of the exciton spontaneous emission rate by up to six times.
  • Showcased threshold-less lasing and the ability to downscale lateral dimensions due to plasmonic mode properties.

Conclusions:

  • Successfully realized nanometre-scale plasmonic lasers by minimizing ohmic losses in a hybrid plasmonic waveguide.
  • The enhanced spontaneous emission and threshold-less lasing indicate efficient light-matter interaction at the nanoscale.
  • These plasmonic lasers open new possibilities for active photonic circuits, bio-sensing, and quantum information technology.