0000000000808370
AUTHOR
Hanna Tikkanen
Molecular coupling of light with plasmonic waveguides.
We use molecules to couple light into and out of microscale plasmonic waveguides. Energy transfer, mediated by surface plasmons, from donor molecules to acceptor molecules over ten micrometer distances is demonstrated. Also surface plasmon coupled emission from the donor molecules is observed at similar distances away from the excitation spot. The lithographic fabrication method we use for positioning the dye molecules allows scaling to nanometer dimensions. The use of molecules as couplers between far-field and near-field light offers the advantages that no special excitation geometry is needed, any light source can be used to excite plasmons and the excitation can be localized below the d…
Frequency conversion of propagating surface plasmon polaritons by organic molecules
We demonstrate frequency conversion of surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) by utilizing the coupling between organic dye molecules and SPP. Launching of SPPs into a plasmonic waveguide is done in two ways: by optically excited molecules and by quantum dots (QDs). QDs are demonstrated to overcome the major problem of bleaching occurring with molecules. The SPP propagates tens of micrometers and clear frequency conversion is observed in the SPP spectrum after passing an area of converter molecules. The use of molecules and QDs as elements of all-plasmonic devices has the potential for high integration and use of self-assembly in fabrication. Peer reviewed