Shaping the fluorescent emission by lattice resonances in plasmonic crystals of nanoantennas

TL;DR

This paper shows how plasmonic crystal arrays covered with dielectric films can significantly enhance and direct fluorescent emission by coupling localized surface plasmons with photonic states.

Contribution

It introduces a method to modify and control fluorescent emission using lattice resonances in plasmonic nanoantenna arrays covered by dielectric films.

Findings

Enhanced emission intensity and directionality observed.

Coupling of surface plasmons with photonic states increases optical density.

Directional emission improves light extraction efficiency.

Abstract

We demonstrate that the emission of light by fluorescent molecules in the proximity of periodic arrays of nanoantennas or plasmonic crystals can be strongly modified when the arrays are covered by a dielectric film. The coupling between localized surface plasmon resonances and photonic states leads to surface modes which increase the density of optical states and improve light extraction. Excited dye molecules preferentially decay radiatively into these modes, exhibiting an enhanced and directional emission.