Hybrid plasmonic-photonic modes in diffractive arrays of nanoparticles coupled to light-emitting optical waveguides

Strong Optical Coupling of Lattice Resonances in a Top-down Fabricated Hybrid Metal-Dielectric Al/Si/Ge Metasurface

Optical metasurfaces enable the manipulation of the light-matter interaction in ultrathin layers. Compared with their metal or dielectric counterparts, hybrid metasurfaces resulting from the combination of dielectric and metallic nanostructures can offer increased possibilities for interactions between modes present in the system. Here, we investigate the interaction between lattice resonances in a hybrid metal-dielectric metasurface obtained from a single-step nanofabrication process. Finite-difference time domain simulations show the avoided crossing of the modes appearing in the wavelength-dependent absorptance inside the Ge upon variations in a selected geometry parameter as evidence for strong optical coupling. We find good agreement between the measured and simulated absorptance and reflectance spectra. Our metasurface design can be easily incorporated into a top-down optoelectronic device fabrication process with possible applications ranging from on-chip spectroscopy to sensing.

Hybridization between plasmonic and photonic modes in laser-induced self-organized quasi-random plasmonic metasurfaces

Plasmonic metasurfaces made of perfectly regular 2D lattices of metallic nanoparticles deposited on surfaces or close to waveguides can exhibit hybridized plasmonic and photonic modes. The latter arise from the excitation of surface or guided modes through the in-plane coherent scattering of periodic arrays. Recently, laser-induced self-organization of random plasmonic metasurfaces has been used to create nanoparticle gratings embedded in protective layers. Despite the broad size distribution and positional disorder of nanoparticles, the resulting nanostructures exhibit strong coupling between plasmonic and photonic modes in transverse electric polarization, leading to dichroism, which is well-reproduced from one laser printing to another. Here, we examine quantitatively the effect of inhomogeneities at the nanoscale on the hybridization between localized plasmonic modes and delocalized guided modes by considering realistic laser-induced self-organized nanoparticle arrays embedded in a two-layer system. By referring to regular samples, we describe the optical mechanisms involved in the hybridization process at characteristic wavelengths, based on far and near field simulations. Two kinds of real samples are considered, featuring different levels of coupling between the plasmonic and photonic modes. The results demonstrate that controlling the statistical properties of plasmonic metasurfaces, such as the nanoparticle size distribution and average position, over areas a few micrometers wide is enough to control in a reproducible manner the hybridization mechanisms and their resulting optical properties. Thus, this study shows that the inherent irregularities of laser-induced self-organized nanostructures are compatible with smart functionalities of nanophotonics, and confirms that laser processing has huge potential for real-world applications.

Molecular Plasmonics with Metamaterials

Molecular plasmonics, the area which deals with the interactions between surface plasmons and molecules, has received enormous interest in fundamental research and found numerous technological applications. Plasmonic metamaterials, which offer rich opportunities to control the light intensity, field polarization, and local density of electromagnetic states on subwavelength scales, provide a versatile platform to enhance and tune light-molecule interactions. A variety of applications, including spontaneous emission enhancement, optical modulation, optical sensing, and photoactuated nanochemistry, have been reported by exploiting molecular interactions with plasmonic metamaterials. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive overview of the developments of molecular plasmonics with metamaterials. After a brief introduction to the optical properties of plasmonic metamaterials and relevant fabrication approaches, we discuss light-molecule interactions in plasmonic metamaterials in both weak and strong coupling regimes. We then highlight the exploitation of molecules in metamaterials for applications ranging from emission control and optical modulation to optical sensing. The role of hot carriers generated in metamaterials for nanochemistry is also discussed. Perspectives on the future development of molecular plasmonics with metamaterials conclude the review. The use of molecules in combination with designer metamaterials provides a rich playground both to actively control metamaterials using molecular interactions and, in turn, to use metamaterials to control molecular processes.

Second-Harmonic Enhancement from a Nonlinear Plasmonic Metasurface Coupled to an Optical Waveguide

Metasurfaces are commonly constructed from two-dimensional arrangements of nanoresonators. Coherent coupling of the nanoresonators through extended photonic modes of the metasurface results in a modified collective optical response, and enhances light-matter interactions. Here we experimentally demonstrate that strong collective resonances can arise also from coupling the metasurface to an optical waveguide. We explore the effect this waveguide-assisted collective interaction has on second-harmonic generation from the hybrid system. Our measurements indicate an enhancement factor of 8 for the transmitted second harmonic in comparison to incoherent collective scattering. In addition, complementary simulations predict about a 100-fold enhancement for the second harmonic that remains confined inside the waveguide. The ability to control the hybrid modes by the waveguide's design provides broader control over the formation of the collective interaction and new tools to tailor the nonlinear interactions. Our findings pave a promising direction to realize nonlinear photonic circuits with metasurfaces.

Quasi-Guided Modes in Titanium Dioxide Arrays Fabricated via Soft Nanoimprint Lithography

Reversible quasi-guided modes (QGMs) are observed in titanium dioxide (TiO2) metasurface arrays fabricated via soft nanoimprint lithography. A TiO2 layer between the nanopillar array and the substrate can facilitate the propagation of QGMs. This layer is porous, allowing for the tuning of the layer properties by incorporating another material. The presence of the QGMs is strongly dependent on the refractive index of the TiO2 layer. QGMs are not supported if the refractive index of the porous TiO2 is too low. It is demonstrated that after depositing R6G on the array QGMs can be observed as very strong and narrow reflectance peaks and transmittance dips. Furthermore, as the second material can penetrate through the pores into the layer it can experience the regions of high field enhancement associated with the QGMs. These results are of interest for a wide range of applications including but not limited to sensing, nonlinear optics, and emission control.

Spatial coherence from Nd3+ quantum emitters mediated by a plasmonic chain

Controlling the coherence properties of rare earth emitters in solid-state platforms in the absence of an optical cavity is highly desirable for quantum light-matter interfaces and photonic networks. Here, we demonstrate the possibility of generating directional and spatially coherent light from Nd³⁺ ions coupled to the longitudinal plasmonic mode of a chain of interacting Ag nanoparticles. The effect of the plasmonic chain on the Nd³⁺ emission is analyzed by Fourier microscopy. The results reveal the presence of an interference pattern in which the Nd³⁺ emission is enhanced at specific directions, as a distinctive signature of spatial coherence. Numerical simulations corroborate the need of near-field coherent coupling of the emitting ions with the plasmonic chain mode. The work provides fundamental insights for controlling the coherence properties of quantum emitters at room temperature and opens new avenues towards rare earth based nanoscale hybrid devices for quantum information or optical communication in nanocircuits.

Guided Mode Resonance in a Low-Index Waveguide Layer

In this paper, we show that the guided mode resonance can exist in a low-index waveguide layer on top of a high-index substrate. With the help of the interaction of diffraction from a metal grating and total internal reflection effects, we verify that the guided mode can be supported in the low-index SU8 layer on a high-index substrate. Simulation and experiment show the resonant wavelength can be simply manipulated by controlling the geometrical parameters of the metal grating and waveguide layer. This structure extends the possibilities of guided-mode resonance to a broader class of functional materials and may boost its use in applications such as field enhancement, sensing and display.

Optical quantum yield in plasmonic nanowaveguide

We have developed a theory of the quantum yield for plasmonic nanowaveguide where the cladding layer is made of an ensemble of quantum dots and the core layer consists of an ensemble of metallic nanoparticles. The bound states of the confined probe photons in the plasmonic nanowaveguide are calculated using the transfer matrix method based on the Maxwell equations. It is shown that the number of bound states in the nanowaveguide depends on the dielectric properties of the core and cladding layers. The surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) produced by the metallic nanoparticles interacts with the excitons of the quantum dots. The radiative and nonradiative linewidths of excitons in the quantum yield are calculated using the quantum mechanical perturbation theory. We have found that the quantum yield decreases as the dipole-dipole interaction between metallic nanoparticles increases. We have also calculated the photoluminescence and found that the enhancement in photoluminescence is due to the SPPs coupling. On the other hand, the quenching in the photoluminescence is due to the quantum yield. We compared our theory with experiments of a nanowaveguide where the core is fabricated from Ag- nanoparticles and the cladding is fabricated from the perovskite quantum dots. A good agreement between theory and experiments is found. Our analytical expressions of the quantum yield and photoluminescence can be used by experimentalists to proforma new types of experiments and for inventing new types of nanosensors and nanoswitches.

Broadband scattering by an aluminum nanoparticle array as a white pixel in commercial color printing applications

Plasmonic color using metallic nanostructures has attracted considerable interest because of its subwavelength resolution and long sustainability. Significant efforts have been devoted to expanding the gamut of plasmonic color generation by tuning the composition, shape, and components in the primary pixel. In this study, we develop a novel and straightforward strategy for aluminum plasmonic color printing aimed at practical commercial applications. An array of aluminum nanodisks is designed for the broadband scattering of white pixels instead of the three primary colors. Examples presented include trademark and QR codes, which are common in the market of consumer advertising and item identification, that are encoded and fabricated in experiments with aluminum white color pixels to demonstrate feasibility. This simple and efficient strategy is compatible with cost-effective industrial fabrication methods, such as photolithography and nanoimprinting, and requires relatively simpler manufacturing procedures. Therefore, a new path is opened for the future with the extensive use of plasmonic color printing.

Enhancing upconversion photoluminescence by plasmonic-photonic hybrid mode

Upconversion photoluminescence (UCPL) of rare-earth ions has attracted much attention due to its potential application in cell labeling, anti-fake printing, display, solar cell and so forth. In spite of high internal quantum yield, they suffer from very low external quantum yield due to poor absorption cross-section of rare-earth ions. In the present work, to increase the absorption by rare earth ions, we place the emitter layer on a diffractive array of Al nanocylinders. The array is designed to trap the near infrared light in the emitter layer via excitation of the plasmonic-photonic hybrid mode, a collective resonance of localized surface plasmons in nanocylinders via diffractive coupling. The trapped near-infrared light is absorbed by the emitter, and consequently the intensity of UCPL increases. In sharp contrast to the pure localized surface plasmons which are bound to the surface, the hybridization with diffraction allows the mode to extend into the layer, and the enhancement up to 9 times is achieved for the layer with 5.7 µm thick. This result explicitly demonstrates that coupling the excitation light to plasmonic-photonic hybrid modes is a sensible strategy to enhance UCPL from a thick layer.

Enhanced absorption and photoluminescence from dye-containing thin polymer film on plasmonic array

Thin films containing light emitters act as light-to-light converters that absorb the incident light and emit luminescence. This well-known phenomenon is photoluminescence (PL). When a photoluminescent film is notably thinner than the absorption length of emitters, it exhibits weak absorption of incident light. The absorption can be increased by depositing the thin film on a plasmonic array of metallic nanocylinders arranged with a specific periodicity. The array couples the incident light into the thin film, facilitating the plasmon-enhanced absorption by the emitters in the film. In this study, we demonstrate both experimentally and numerically the plasmon-enhanced absorption of a rhodamine 6G-containing film that is thinner than its absorption length using a periodic array of Al nanocylinders. The experimental results demonstrate that the spectrally integrated PL intensity is increased up to 3.78 times. In addition to enhanced absorption, the array is also found to diffract the PL into a direction determined by the periodicity, thereby facilitating the multiplied enhancement of PL. The combination of the two factors yields a PL intensity enhanced up to 10 times at a specific angle and wavelength. Numerical simulations combining the carrier kinetics with full-wave electromagnetics in the time-domain support the experimental observations.

Less Is More: Enhancement of Second-Harmonic Generation from Metasurfaces by Reduced Nanoparticle Density

We investigate optical second-harmonic generation (SHG) from metasurfaces where noncentrosymmetric V-shaped gold nanoparticles are ordered into regular array configurations. In contrast to expectations, a substantial enhancement of the SHG signal is observed when the number density of the particles in the array is reduced. More specifically, by halving the number density, we obtain over 5-fold enhancement in SHG intensity. This striking result is attributed to favorable interparticle interactions mediated by the lattice, where surface-lattice resonances lead to spectral narrowing of the plasmon resonances. Importantly, however, the results cannot be explained by the improved quality of the plasmon resonance alone. Instead, the lattice interactions also lead to further enhancement of the local fields at the particles. The experimental observations agree very well with results obtained from numerical simulations including lattice interactions.

Fabrication of magneto-optical waveguides inside transparent silica xerogels containing ferrimagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles

Magneto-optical waveguides with a refractive-index change were successfully fabricated inside silica xerogels containing ferrimagnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (NPs) using femtosecond laser processing. Aminopropyltriethoxysilane-derived xerogels were prepared via a sol-gel process with aqueous solutions of Fe₃O₄ NPs synthesized by coprecipitation. The mass/volume concentration of Fe₃O₄ NPs in the xerogels was determined by comparing the absorbance of the xerogel with that of an aqueous solution of Fe₃O₄ NPs. We evaluated Faraday rotation angles for light propagating through waveguide structures in xerogels containing Fe₃O₄ NPs at mass/volume concentrations of 0.087 and 0.148 mg/cm³ at a wavelength of 488 nm. Ferrimagnetic saturation of the Faraday rotation angle was observed, which is consistent with the magnetization curves measured at room temperature. Magneto-optical waveguides can potentially be used to produce micro-sized Faraday devices, such as optical isolators, high-density magnetic recording devices, and optical sensors, which can be integrated with optical and electronic hybrid circuits.

Multispectral electroluminescence enhancement of single-walled carbon nanotubes coupled to periodic nanodisk arrays

The integration of periodic nanodisk arrays into the channel of a light-emitting field-effect transistor leads to enhanced and directional electroluminescence from thin films of purified semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes. The maximum enhancement wavelength is tunable across the near-infrared and is directly linked to the periodicity of the arrays. Numerical calculations confirm the role of increased local electric fields in the observed emission modification. Large current densities are easily achieved due to the high charge carrier mobilities of carbon nanotubes and will facilitate new electrically driven plasmonic devices.

Turning on plasmonic lattice modes in metallic nanoantenna arrays via silicon thin films

We study control of optical coupling of plasmon resonances in metallic nanoantenna arrays using ultrathin layers of silicon. This technique allows one to establish and tune plasmonic lattice modes of such arrays, demonstrating a controlled transformation from the localized surface plasmon resonances of individual nanoantennas to their optimized collective lattice modes. Depending on the polarization and incident angle of light, our results support two different types of the silicon-induced plasmonic lattice resonances. For s-polarization these resonances follow the Rayleigh anomaly, while for p-polarization an increase in the incident angle makes the lattice resonances significantly narrower and slightly blueshifted.

Metallic nanostructures for efficient LED lighting

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are driving a shift toward energy-efficient illumination. Nonetheless, modifying the emission intensities, colors and directionalities of LEDs in specific ways remains a challenge often tackled by incorporating secondary optical components. Metallic nanostructures supporting plasmonic resonances are an interesting alternative to this approach due to their strong light-matter interaction, which facilitates control over light emission without requiring external secondary optical components. This review discusses new methods that enhance the efficiencies of LEDs using nanostructured metals. This is an emerging field that incorporates physics, materials science, device technology and industry. First, we provide a general overview of state-of-the-art LED lighting, discussing the main characteristics required of both quantum wells and color converters to efficiently generate white light. Then, we discuss the main challenges in this field as well as the potential of metallic nanostructures to circumvent them. We review several of the most relevant demonstrations of LEDs in combination with metallic nanostructures, which have resulted in light-emitting devices with improved performance. We also highlight a few recent studies in applied plasmonics that, although exploratory and eminently fundamental, may lead to new solutions in illumination.

Characterization of the near-field and convectional transport behavior of micro and nanoparticles in nanoscale plasmonic optical lattices

Here, we report the characterization of the transport of micro- and nanospheres in a simple two-dimensional square nanoscale plasmonic optical lattice. The optical potential was created by exciting plasmon resonance by way of illuminating an array of gold nanodiscs with a loosely focused Gaussian beam. This optical potential produced both in-lattice particle transport behavior, which was due to near-field optical gradient forces, and high-velocity (∼μm/s) out-of-lattice particle transport. As a comparison, the natural convection velocity field from a delocalized temperature profile produced by the photothermal heating of the nanoplasmonic array was computed in numerical simulations. This work elucidates the role of photothermal effects on micro- and nanoparticle transport in plasmonic optical lattices.

Spin-Dependent Emission from Arrays of Planar Chiral Nanoantennas Due to Lattice and Localized Plasmon Resonances

Chiral plasmonic nanoantennas manifest a strong asymmetric response to circularly polarized light. Particularly, the geometric handedness of a plasmonic structure can alter the circular polarization state of light emitted from nearby sources, leading to a spin-dependent emission direction. In past experiments, these effects have been attributed entirely to the localized plasmonic resonances of single antennas. In this work, we demonstrate that, when chiral nanoparticles are arranged in diffractive arrays, lattice resonances play a primary role in determining the spin-dependent emission of light. We fabricate 2D diffractive arrays of planar chiral metallic nanoparticles embedded in a light-emitting dye-doped slab. By measuring the polarized photoluminescence enhancement, we show that the geometric chirality of the array's unit cell induces a preferential circular polarization, and that both the localized surface plasmon resonance and the delocalized hybrid plasmonic-photonic mode contribute to this phenomenon. By further mapping the angle-resolved degree of circular polarization, we demonstrate that strong chiral dissymmetries are mainly localized at the narrow emission directions of the surface lattice resonances. We validate these results against a coupled dipole model calculation, which correctly reproduces the main features. Our findings demonstrate that, in diffractive arrays, lattice resonances play a primary role into the light spin-orbit effect, introducing a highly nontrivial behavior in the angular spectra.

Plasmonic arrays of titanium nitride nanoparticles fabricated from epitaxial thin films

We have fabricated two-dimensional periodic arrays of titanium nitride (TiN) nanoparticles from epitaxial thin films. The thin films of TiN, deposited on sapphire and single crystalline magnesium oxide substrates by a pulsed laser deposition, are metallic and show reasonably small optical loss in the visible and near infrared regions. The thin films prepared were structured to the arrays of nanoparticles with the pitch of 400 nm by the combination of nanoimprint lithography and reactive ion etching. Optical transmission indicates that the arrays support the collective plasmonic modes, where the localized surface plasmon polaritons in TiN nanoparticles are radiatively coupled through diffraction. Numerical simulation visualizes the intense fields accumulated both in the nanoparticles and in between the particles, confirming that the collective mode originates from the simultaneous excitation of localized surface plasmon polaritons and diffraction. This study experimentally verified that the processing of TiN thin films with the nanoimprint lithography and reactive ion etching is a powerful and versatile way of preparing plasmonic nanostructures.

Localized surface plasmon resonance in the IR regime

Arrays of differently sized disk shaped gold nanoantennas are prepared on glass, which show localized surface plasmon resonance and Rayleigh anomalies in the near infrared and telecom range between 1000 and 1500 nm wavelength. The spectral position of these grating resonances depends critically on the period of the array and the size of the nanoantennas. When PbS quantum dots embedded in PMMA surround the nanoantennas, an up to four fold enhancement of the photoluminescence is observed at the grating resonances due to the constructive diffractive feedback among neighboring antennas. In accordance with the grating resonances a shift of the emission towards smaller wavelengths with decreasing disk diameter is demonstrated.

Directed Assembly of Optoplasmonic Hybrid Materials with Tunable Photonic-Plasmonic Properties

Optoplasmonic materials are metallo-dielectric hybrid structures that combine metallic and dielectric components in defined geometries in which plasmonic and photonic modes synergistically interact. These beneficial interactions can be harnessed by integrating plasmonic nanoantennas into defined photonic environments generated, for instance, by discrete optical resonators or extended systems of diffractively coupled nanoparticles. Optoplasmonic structures facilitate photonic-plasmonic mode coupling and offer degrees of freedom for creating optical fields with predefined amplitude and phase in space and time that are absent in conventional photonic or plasmonic structures. This Perspective reviews the fundamental electromagnetic mechanisms underlying selected optoplasmonic approaches with an emphasis on materials available through template-guided self-assembly strategies.

Broadband photocurrent enhancement and light-trapping in thin film Si solar cells with periodic Al nanoparticle arrays on the front

Plasmonic resonances in metal nanoparticles are considered candidates for improved thin film Si photovoltaics. In periodic arrays the influence of collective modes can enhance the resonant properties of such arrays. We have investigated the use of periodic arrays of Al nanoparticles placed on the front of a thin film Si test solar cell. It is demonstrated that the resonances from the Al nanoparticle array causes a broadband photocurrent enhancement ranging from the ultraviolet to the infrared with respect to a reference cell. From the experimental results as well as from numerical simulations it is shown that this broadband enhancement is due to single particle resonances that give rise to light-trapping in the infrared spectral range and to collective resonances that ensure an efficient in-coupling of light in the ultraviolet-blue spectral range.

Tailor-made directional emission in nanoimprinted plasmonic-based light-emitting devices

We demonstrate an enhanced and tailor-made directional emission of light-emitting devices using nanoimprinted hexagonal arrays of aluminum nanoparticles. Fourier microscopy reveals that the luminescence of the device is not only determined by the material properties of the organic dye molecules but is also strongly influenced by the coherent scattering resulting from periodically arranged metal nanoparticles. Emitters can couple to lattice-induced hybrid plasmonic-photonic modes sustained by plasmonic arrays. Such modes enhance the spatial coherence of an emitting layer, allowing the efficient beaming of the emission along narrow angular and spectral ranges. We show that tailoring the separation of the nanoparticles in the array yields an accurate angular distribution of the emission. This combination of large-area metal nanostructures fabricated by nanoimprint lithography and light-emitting devices is beneficial for the design and optimization of solid-state lighting systems.

Diffractive coupling and plasmon-enhanced photocurrent generation in silicon

Arrays of metal nanoparticles are considered candidates for improved light-coupling into silicon. In periodic arrays the coherent diffractive coupling of particles can have a large impact on the resonant properties of the particles. We have investigated the photocurrent enhancement properties of Al nanoparticles placed on top of a silicon diode in periodic as well as in random arrays. The photocurrent of the periodic array sample is enhanced relative to that of the random array due to the presence of a Fano-like resonance not observed for the random array. Measurements of the photocurrent as a function of angle, reveal that the Fano-like enhancement is caused by diffractive coupling in the periodic array, which is accordingly identified as an important design parameter for plasmon-enhanced light-coupling into silicon.