Coherent meta-materials and the lasing spaser

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel concept called the Lasing Spaser, which combines metamaterials and the traditional spaser idea to create a highly coherent, nanoscale electromagnetic radiation source fueled by plasmonic oscillations.

Contribution

It introduces the Lasing Spaser, a new type of coherent nanoscale laser source based on 2D arrays of plasmonic resonators supporting high-Q excitations.

Findings

Proposes a new coherent electromagnetic source called the Lasing Spaser.

Demonstrates the potential of 2D plasmonic arrays for nanoscale lasing.

Highlights the integration of metamaterials with spaser technology.

Abstract

In 2003 Bergman and Stockman introduced the spaser, a quantum amplifier of surface plasmons by stimulated emission of radiation [1]. They argued that, by exploiting a metal/dielectric composite medium, it should be possible to construct a nano-device, where a strong coherent field is built up in a spatial region much smaller than the wavelength [1,2]. V-shaped metallic inclusion, combined with a collection of semiconductor quantum dots were discussed as a possible realization of the spaser [1]. Here we introduce a further development of the spaser concept. We show that by combining the metamaterial and spaser ideas one can create a narrow-diversion coherent source of electromagnetic radiation that is fuelled by plasmonic oscillations. We argue that two-dimensional arrays of a certain class of plasmonic resonators supporting high-Q coherent current excitations provide an intriguing opportunity to create spatially and temporally coherent laser source, the Lasing Spaser.