Quantum-cascade laser integrated with a metal–dielectric–metal-based plasmonic antenna

Abstract

Optical nanoantennas are capable of enhancing the near-field intensity and confining optical energy within a small spot size. We report a novel metal-dielectric-metal coupled-nanorods antenna integrated on the facet of a quantum-cascade laser. Finite-difference time-domain simulations showed that, for dielectric thicknesses in the range from 10 to 30 nm, peak optical intensity at the top of the antenna gap is 4000 times greater than the incident field intensity. This is 4 times higher enhancement compared to a coupled metal antenna. The antenna is fabricated using focused ion-beam milling and measured using modified scanning probe microscopy. Such a device has potential applications in building mid-IR biosensors.

Composite Nano-Antenna Integrated With Quantum Cascade Laser

“…Away from this optimum range, the peak intensity again starts to decrease. We believe transverse coupling of surface plasmon waves at the interface between a metal and 1041-1135/$26.00 © 2010 IEEE a dielectric may be the possible reason for this increase in peak optical intensity as compared to a single metal design [11].…”

Plasmonic cross-junction ring antenna implementation for field enhancement

“…Different shapes of nano antennas are developed to improve radiation field, Absorption cross section (ACS)and reflection cross section (RCS) enhancement or achieving multi resonance structures [2].Coupled plasmonic spiral with circularly polarized for unidirectional emission [3], bowtie and its array formation [4] and metal dielectric metal dipole antenna with quantum cascade laser feed [5] are known as the some conventional formations for nano antennas with plasmonic method. For designing nano antenna with high field enhancement, bowtie and bowtie aperture plasmonic antenna have been noticed to achieve more than 1600 (V/m) 2 for Ex [6].…”

Nanoscale plasmonic antenna difference formation implementation effect on field enhancement

“…Different forms of Antennas such as dipole for = 814 nm with each branch 20 nm × 200 nm base on Green function for scattering field [8], bowtie have been studied for 500-1600 nm with size of 100 nm × 120 nm [9], also photoemission electron microscope (PEEM) feeding for f = 300-450 THz (corresponding to = 1000-660 nm) has been used for field enhancement [10] and ring structure is noticed for multi resonance application [11] have become conventional for bio sensing with nano antenna because of easy feeding with laser [12] and array arrangement [13,14]. Nearfield scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) subwavelength aperture probe is one of the earliest methods for optical imaging and recently gold gap nano antennas with picoseconds laser pulses are applied for higher accuracy in detection [15].…”