Enhancing the optical excitation efficiency of a single self-assembled quantum dot with a plasmonic nanoantenna

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that positioning a plasmonic nanoparticle near a quantum dot significantly enhances its optical excitation efficiency, increasing luminescence intensity and excitation rate, with potential benefits for nanoscience and quantum optics.

Contribution

It introduces a method to enhance quantum dot excitation using plasmonic nanoantennas, showing a substantial increase in luminescence and excitation rate.

Findings

Luminescence intensity increased by about eight times.

Spectrally and temporally resolved measurements confirm excitation rate enhancement.

Stable epitaxial quantum emitters combined with plasmonic structures are promising for advanced applications.

Abstract

We demonstrate how the controlled positioning of a plasmonic nanoparticle modifies the photoluminescence of a single epitaxial GaAs quantum dot. The antenna particle leads to an increase of the luminescence intensity by about a factor of eight. Spectrally and temporally resolved photoluminescence measurements prove an increase of the quantum dot's excitation rate. The combination of stable epitaxial quantum emitters and plasmonic nanostructures promises to be highly beneficial for nanoscience and quantum optics.