Efficient Single Photon Emission and Collection Based on Excitation of Gap Surface Plasmons

Abstract

Combining the advantages of ultrahigh photon emission rates achievable in the gap surface plasmon polaritons with high extraction decay rates into low-loss nanofibers, we demonstrate theoretically the efficient photon emission of a single dipole emitter and one-dimensional nanoscale guiding in metallic nanorod-coupled nanofilm structures coupled to dielectric nanofibers. We find that total decay rates and surface plasmon polariton channel decay rates orders of magnitude larger than those characteristic of metallic nanofilms alone can be achieved in ultrastrong hot spots of gap plasmons. For the requirement of practical applications, propagating single photons with decay rates of 290γ_{0}-770γ_{0} are guided into the phase-matched low-loss nanofibers. The proposed mechanism promises to have an important impact on metal-based optical cavities, on-chip bright single photon sources and plasmon-based nanolasers.

Brightening and Guiding Single‐Photon Emission by Plasmonic Waveguide–Slit Structures on a Metallic Substrate

“…The simulations show that the Purcell factor and FOM of this plasmonic waveguide–slit structure can be up to be F P = 1.68 × 10 5 and FOM = 1.40 × 10 7 , respectively. The Purcell factor of the proposed structure is more than 10 4 times that by solely using the DLSPP or CPP waveguide in the experimental works, and it is more than ten times that by engaging the metallic gap structures (metallic nanoparticles on the metal film or nanowire with a nanogap) in the theoretical works . The FOM of the proposed structure is also greater than 10 5 times that by using the DLSPP or CPP waveguide in the experimental works, and it is also greater than 80 times that in the theoretical works where the metallic nanowire was placed on or surrounded by the dielectric materials …”

“…Recently, by placing the quantum emitter between a metallic nanorod and a nanowire, which supported the gap SPP modes with very small optical volumes, the single‐photon emission was efficiently routed to the nanowires. The Purcell factor and FOM in these systems were predicted to be as high as F P ≈ 1.42 × 10 4 and FOM ≈ 1.73 × 10 5 in theory. It is noticed that most of the metallic nanostructures were placed or surrounded by the dielectric materials.…”

“…Here, F P = γ / γ 0 is the Purcell factor. γ is the decay rate of the quantum emitter in a plasmonic structure, and γ 0 is the decay rate of the quantum emitter in the vacuum . L SPP is the propagation lengths of the SPP waveguide mode.…”

“…L SPP is the propagation lengths of the SPP waveguide mode. β is the coupling efficiency from the quantum emitter to the waveguide mode in one direction . λ is the vacuum wavelength.…”

Directional Optical Travelling Wave Antenna Based on Surface Plasmon Transmission Line

“…An optical antenna, which can convert energy between freely propagating optical radiation and localized energy, provides a new method of manipulating visible and infrared radiation at the nanoscale owing to the strong confinement of the electromagnetic field . Compared with their radiowave and microwave counterparts, optical antennas have important differences resulting from their small size and the resonant properties of metal nanostructures, such as the strong light−matter interaction and large absorption cross section, which give them promise for enhancing the efficiency of photo‐detection, light emission, sensing, heat transfer and spectroscopy . Among a variety of optical antennas, directional optical antennas, which can radiate light in a certain direction, have been widely investigated and realized in experiment, such as the Yagi‐Uda antenna, the slot antenna, the electrically driven nanoantennas and the bimetallic nanoantenna .…”