Plasmonic antennas hybridized with dielectric waveguides

Area of Science:

• Plasmonics and Nanophotonics
• Integrated Optics
• Quantum Optics

Background:

• Plasmonic antennas are crucial for enhancing light-matter interactions at the nanoscale.
• Integrated photonic schemes require efficient coupling of emitters to optical modes.
• Waveguides offer a platform for controlling light propagation and enhancing plasmonic effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the scattering properties of single nanorod gold antennas and arrays on dielectric waveguides.
• To develop waveguide-hybridized plasmonic antennas for directional light coupling.
• To establish a platform for plasmon quantum optics and fluorescence lab-on-chip applications.

Main Methods:

• Experimental and theoretical study of scattering properties using real space and Fourier microscopy.
• Correlation of scattering measurements with waveguide transmission.
• Simulations based on dipolar object physics in layered environments.

Main Results:

• Quantification of spectral properties, scattering strength, and directivity.
• Demonstration of waveguide-enhanced coupling between plasmonic elements.
• Observation of directional in-coupling and out-coupling in waveguide hybridized Yagi-Uda antennas.

Conclusions:

• Plasmonic nanorod antennas on waveguides exhibit predictable scattering behavior.
• Waveguide hybridization enables directional control of light for advanced photonic applications.
• The studied system serves as an ideal platform for plasmon quantum optics and lab-on-chip sensing.