Exciton-Plasmon-Photon Conversion in Plasmonic Nanostructures

Abstract

A silver-nanowire cavity is functionalized with CdSe nanocrystals and optimized towards cavity quantum electrodynamics by varying the nanocrystal-nanowire distance d and cavity length L. From the modulation of the nanocrystal emission by the cavity modes a plasmon group velocity of v (gr) approximately 0.5c is derived. Efficient exciton-plasmon-photon conversion and guiding is demonstrated along with a modification in the spontaneous emission rate of the coupled exciton-plasmon system.

Stimulated Raman adiabatic passage as a route to achieving optical control in plasmonics

“…A quickly growing field of hybrid materials is emerging [19][20][21][22][23] on the base of latest advancements in nanoplasmonic science. Here one merges plasmonics with atomic and molecular physics considering systems comprised of quantum emitters and metal nano-structures.…”

Gap-mode plasmonic nanocavity

“…Calculations by Ford and Weber 6 on single Ag structures predict fluorescence quenching for emitters placed less than ϳ10 nm from the metal. As has been previously observed, 9 an emitter placed very close to a flat metal region can generate both SPPs and "lossy surface waves" ͑LSW͒, surface excitations whose long wave vector prevents them from being excited via farfield radiation. Of these, the SPP can have long propagation constants and can be coupled, for example, via scattering, into far-field radiation.…”

“…7 There have been comparatively few experimental demonstrations of individual plasmonic cavities with coupled optical emitters, [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] and of these, the only one to show substantial modification of the emitter fluorescence spectrum was a hybrid cavity formed from a dielectric NW and coupled planar metal layer. 8 The cavities reported here were formed by placing a Ag NW ͑ϳ70 nm diameter, ϳ1-3 m in length͒ in close proximity to a Ag substrate ͑ϳ15-70 nm separation͒, with the NW axis parallel to the substrate surface ͑Fig.…”

Quantum theory of plasmon

“…Recently the research on the fundamental processes with the participation of plasmons has led to the emergence of a new scientific discipline -plasmonics. The variety of plasmonic processes and phenomena is quite broad: the formation of hybrid systems consisting of semiconductor quantum dot and metallic nanoparticles [5,6], interaction between a metal nanoparticle and a dipole emitter [7], exiton-plasmon coupling (plexciton) [8][9][10], plasmon resonance energy transfer (PRET) [11,12], plasmon-enhanced light absorption [13,14] and fluorescene [15][16][17][18][19][20], plasmonic-molecular resonance [21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28] etc. The results of the research on plasmonic processes have led to the creation of plasmonic nanoantenae for various efficient applications [29].…”