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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 20, 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

Injection pumped single mode surface plasmon generators: threshold, linewidth, and coherence.

Jacob B Khurgin1, Greg Sun

  • 1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA.

Optics Express
|July 10, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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A theoretical model for semiconductor spasers reveals that threshold current is independent of device geometry, determined only by metal losses. Coherent sub-wavelength surface plasmon sources are likely unattainable, but efficient incoherent sources are possible.

Area of Science:

  • Optics and Photonics
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Semiconductor Devices

Background:

  • Surface plasmons (SPs) are collective oscillations of electrons at a metal-dielectric interface.
  • Spasers (Surface Plasmon Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) are nanoscale light sources utilizing SPs.
  • Semiconductor spasers offer potential for compact and integrated photonic devices.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a theoretical model for single-mode semiconductor spasers.
  • To analyze the input-output characteristics and threshold behavior of these devices.
  • To determine the feasibility of coherent sub-wavelength surface plasmon generation.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical modeling of a single-mode semiconductor spaser.
  • Analysis of input-output characteristics, including nonlinearity and linewidth.

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Measurement of Scattering Nonlinearities from a Single Plasmonic Nanoparticle
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Measurement of Scattering Nonlinearities from a Single Plasmonic Nanoparticle

Published on: January 3, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 20, 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

Measurement of Scattering Nonlinearities from a Single Plasmonic Nanoparticle
15:06

Measurement of Scattering Nonlinearities from a Single Plasmonic Nanoparticle

Published on: January 3, 2016

  • Derivation of threshold current dependence on material gain, geometry, and intrinsic metal loss.

    • Main Results:

    • Single-mode spaser characteristics do not exhibit laser-like nonlinearity but show linewidth collapse, defining a threshold.
    • Threshold current is independent of gain material and active layer geometry for sub-wavelength modes.
    • Threshold is solely determined by the intrinsic loss of the metal component.
    • Threshold current for telecommunication range spasers is 10-20 mA; density increases sharply with decreasing size.
    • Coherent sub-wavelength SP sources are deemed unattainable due to high threshold current densities.

    Conclusions:

    • Achieving coherent sub-wavelength surface plasmon sources is impractical with current semiconductor spaser designs.
    • Efficient broad-band incoherent surface plasmon sources, either optically or electrically pumped, remain a viable research direction.