Optical Antennas

Bharadwaj, Palash; Deutsch, Bradley; Novotny, Lukas

doi:10.1364/aop.1.000438

Cited by 1,168 publications

(1,061 citation statements)

References 197 publications

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“…Important for the present work is that the NV center exhibits stable photoluminescence at room temperature (unlike most quantum dots that suffer from blinking) and the center's optical properties are preserved when the diamond host takes the form of a nanocrystal. In the following we exploit the previous features to demonstrate, for the first time, the suitability of the NV center for nanoscale FLIM by imaging a nanoscale optical antenna [28].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nanoscale Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging of an Optical Antenna with a Single Diamond NV Center

et al. 2013

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Abstract:Solid-state quantum emitters, such as artificially engineered quantum dots or naturally occurring defects in solids, are being investigated for applications ranging from quantum information science and optoelectronics to biomedical imaging. Recently, these same systems have also been studied from the perspective of nanoscale metrology. In this letter we study the near-field optical properties of a diamond nanocrystal hosting a single nitrogen vacancy center. We find that the nitrogen vacancy center is a sensitive probe of the surrounding electromagnetic mode structure. We exploit this sensitivity to demonstrate nanoscale fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) with a single nitrogen vacancy center by imaging the local density of states of an optical antenna.Controlled interaction of light and matter at the nanoscale requires a detailed understanding of the local electromagnetic mode distribution. It has been recognized for some time that, in contrast to the homogeneity exhibited by the vacuum electromagnetic modes in free space, surfaces and nanostructured environments can sculpt the local electromagnetic mode density or local density of optical states (LDOS). A manifestation of this modification, as first pointed out by Purcell [1], is that the excited state lifetime of a quantum object is not an immutable property, but depends sensitively on the system's . Important for the present work is that the NV center exhibits stable photoluminescence at room temperature (unlike most quantum dots that suffer from blinking) and the center's optical properties are preserved when the diamond host takes the form of a nanocrystal. In the following we exploit the previous features to demonstrate, for the first time, the suitability of the NV center for nanoscale FLIM by imaging a nanoscale optical antenna [28].The top panel of Fig. 1a presents an illustration of the FLIM concept. In the first modality a single quantum system (the "probe") is affixed to the vertex of a nanoscale tip and a sample to be interrogated (the "object") is scanned in close proximity to the emitter. The object perturbs the local electromagnetic environment of the probe and modifies its excited state dynamics that can be recorded as a function of the object's x-y coordinates to build an image. A second approach, followed in the present work, is to fix the probe in space, see bottom panel of Fig. 1a, and scan the object through the focus. Again, by monitoring the probe lifetime an image can be recorded. In our experiments a single NV center in a diamond nanocrystal is our probe of the nanoscale LDOS created by the object.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nanoscale Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging of an Optical Antenna with a Single Diamond NV Center

et al. 2013

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“…12,13 The surface plasmon of metallic nanostructures allows for deep subwavelength confinement of light 14,15 and enhancement of the local density of optical states. 16,17 These structures can substantially enhance the spontaneous emission of fluorophores near the metal surface, that is, the so-called Purcell enhancement. 18−20 In contrast to photonic crystals, 21−24 the plasmonic Purcell enhancement is broadband.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Giant Suppression of Photobleaching for Single Molecule Detection via the Purcell Effect

et al. 2013

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ABSTRACT:We report giant suppression of photobleaching and a prolonged lifespan of single fluorescent molecules via the Purcell effect in plasmonic nanostructures. The plasmonic structures enhance the spontaneous emission of excited fluorescent molecules, reduce the probability of activating photochemical reactions that destroy the molecules, and hence suppress the bleaching. Experimentally, we observe up to a 1000-fold increase in the total number of photons that we can harvest from a single fluorescent molecule before it bleaches. This approach demonstrates the potential of using the Purcell effect to manipulate photochemical reactions at the subwavelength scale. KEYWORDS: Nano-optics, single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy, plasmonics P hotobleaching is a photochemical reaction of fluorescent molecules that irreversibly destroys their fluorescence capability. It determines the lifespan of a single fluorescent molecule and imposes a fundamental limit on the total number of photons that can be harvested from the molecule. 1,2 Considerable efforts have been devoted to suppressing photobleaching, which culminates primarily in chemical-based strategies that aim to make the local environment more chemically inert to fluorophores, 3,4 or modifying the structures and energy landscapes of fluorophores to be more resistant to photobleaching. 5,6 Progress has been achieved along these routes, including the discovery of oxygen scavenger systems, 3 photostable green fluorescent proteins, 5 and semiconductor quantum dots. 7 However, the increasing demand for more photons from a single molecule 1,8 requires new strategies beyond these chemical approaches.Recent progress in plasmonics manifests a "physical" approach to address the challenge. Plasmonics 9−11 offer a new way to mediate the interaction between a molecule and its local electromagnetic environment. 12,13 The surface plasmon of metallic nanostructures allows for deep subwavelength confinement of light 14,15 and enhancement of the local density of optical states. 16,17 These structures can substantially enhance the spontaneous emission of fluorophores near the metal surface, that is, the so-called Purcell enhancement. 18−20 In contrast to photonic crystals, 21−24 the plasmonic Purcell enhancement is broadband. The impacts of the plasmonic Purcell enhancement on photostability have been noticed previously. For instance, Hale et al. have observed reduction of photo-oxidation of semiconducting polymer when doped with silica core-gold nanoshells, 25 and Muthu et al. and Malicka et al. have observed decreasing photobleaching of fluoresce dyes on the surface of thin silver films 26 and silver nanoparticles. 27 Recently, the Purcell effect has been further expanded to tune the spectroscopic properties of dye molecules to selectively remove a long-lived triplet state, 28 enhance the fluorescence signal, 29 suppress quantum dot blinking, 30 and manipulate selection rules. 31 A novel core−shell type of plasmonic nanocomposite structures has also been developed as nanoc...

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“…Resonant plasmonic structures are one of the most promising solutions to this problem due to their ability to capture and concentrate visible light at subwavelength dimensions 1,2 . Different types of nanoscale optical devices such as nanolenses 3,4 , nano-waveguides 5,6 , nanoantennas [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] and so on based on metallic nanoparticles have been demonstrated. Many of these functional devices such as nanoantennas are designed in analogy with microwave optics, where metals are routinely used for manipulation of the electromagnetic radiation 8,9,12 .…”

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confidence: 99%

Directional visible light scattering by silicon nanoparticles

et al. 2013

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Directional light scattering by spherical silicon nanoparticles in the visible spectral range is experimentally demonstrated for the first time. These unique optical properties arise because of simultaneous excitation and mutual interference of magnetic and electric dipole resonances inside a single nanosphere. Such behaviour is similar to Kerker's-type scattering by hypothetic magneto-dielectric particles predicted theoretically three decades ago. Here we show that directivity of the far-field radiation pattern of single silicon spheres can be strongly dependent on the light wavelength and the nanoparticle size. For nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 100 to 200 nm, forward-to-backward scattering ratio above six can be experimentally obtained, making them similar to 'Huygens' sources. Unique optical properties of silicon nanoparticles make them promising for design of novel low-loss visible-and telecom-range metamaterials and nanoantenna devices.

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Optical Antennas

Cited by 1,168 publications

References 197 publications

Nanoscale Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging of an Optical Antenna with a Single Diamond NV Center

Nanoscale Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging of an Optical Antenna with a Single Diamond NV Center

Giant Suppression of Photobleaching for Single Molecule Detection via the Purcell Effect

Directional visible light scattering by silicon nanoparticles

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