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Updated: May 31, 2026

Determination of the Excitation and Coupling Rates Between Light Emitters and Surface Plasmon Polaritons
Published on: July 21, 2018
Strong coupling of localized and surface plasmons to microcavity modes
Ralf Ameling1, Daniel Dregely, Harald Giessen
14th Physics Institute and Stuttgart Research Center of Photonic Engineering, University of Stuttgart, D-70550 Stuttgart, Germany.
We demonstrate strong coupling between surface plasmon modes and photonic microcavity modes using nanowires. This interaction, observed as an anticrossing in the dispersion diagram, was experimentally verified with high accuracy.
Area of Science:
- Photonics
- Plasmonics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) are electromagnetic waves propagating at a metal-dielectric interface.
- Photonic microcavities confine light, enabling enhanced light-matter interactions.
- Nanowires offer unique optical properties due to their localized surface plasmon resonances.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the strong coupling between surface plasmon modes and photonic microcavity modes.
- To explore the use of nanowires as a mediator for plasmon-photon coupling.
- To experimentally validate theoretical predictions of this coupled system.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a microcavity structure incorporating a thin metal layer and an array of nanowires.
- Positioning the nanowire array near a mirror within a Bragg-spaced microcavity.
- Experimental determination of the system's dispersion by applying external pressure.
- Comparison of experimental results with numerical simulations.
Main Results:
- Observation of strong coupling between localized plasmons on nanowires and microcavity modes.
- Evidence of coupling shown by an anticrossing in the dispersion diagram.
- Excellent agreement between experimental dispersion data and simulation results.
Conclusions:
- Strong coupling between surface plasmons and photonic microcavity modes is achievable using nanowires.
- The nanowire-plasmonic-photonic-microcavity system exhibits tunable optical properties.
- This work validates a novel approach for controlling light-matter interactions at the nanoscale.
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