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Colloidal Synthesis of Nanopatch Antennas for Applications in Plasmonics and Nanophotonics
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Control of radiative processes using tunable plasmonic nanopatch antennas
Alec Rose1, Thang B Hoang, Felicia McGuire
1Center for Metamaterials and Integrated Plasmonics, ‡Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and §Department of Physics, Duke University , Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States.
Nano Letters
|July 15, 2014
Summary
Researchers enhanced fluorophore emission using tunable nanopatch antennas. This nanoplasmonic platform achieved over 30,000x fluorescence enhancement and 74x spontaneous emission rate increase.
Area of Science:
- Nanophotonics
- Plasmonics
- Quantum Optics
Background:
- Nanoplasmonic structures significantly alter radiative processes of fluorophores.
- Extreme electromagnetic fields in nanoplasmonic gaps enhance optical fields and radiating modes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a reliable method for tuning plasmon resonance while maintaining electromagnetic enhancement.
- To investigate the impact of tunable plasmon resonance on fluorescence and spontaneous emission.
Main Methods:
- Utilized colloidally synthesized nanocubes (nanopatches) coupled to a metallic film.
- Varied nanopatch size to tune plasmon resonance across a ~200 nm range.
- Employed finite-element simulations to guide experimental design.
Main Results:
- Achieved independent tuning of plasmon resonance and local field enhancement.
- Demonstrated fluorescence enhancements exceeding 30,000x.
- Observed detector-limited spontaneous emission rate enhancements of 74x.
Conclusions:
- The nanopatch-film platform enables precise control over plasmon resonance for enhanced radiative phenomena.
- Design rules for optimizing fluorescence enhancement and Purcell factors were established.
- This work provides a pathway for advanced nanophotonic applications.
