Coherent interaction of a metallic structure with a single quantum emitter: from super absorption to cloaking

TL;DR

This paper develops a theoretical framework to study how quantum emitters interact coherently with metallic structures, revealing regimes of enhanced or suppressed absorption and scattering, including cloaking effects, with implications for metamaterials and quantum plasmonics.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive quantum optical model for metallic-quantum emitter interactions, demonstrating regimes of super absorption and cloaking not previously detailed.

Findings

Single emitters can enhance or suppress metallic particle absorption by three orders of magnitude.

Emitters can cloak plasmonic antennas by eliminating scattering and absorption.

The framework applies to active metamaterials and quantum plasmonic devices.

Abstract

We provide a general theoretical platform based on quantized radiation in absorptive and inhomogeneous media for investigating the coherent interaction of light with metallic structures in the immediate vicinity of quantum emitters. In the case of a very small metallic cluster, we demonstrate extreme regimes where a single emitter can either counteract or enhance particle absorption by three orders of magnitude. For larger structures, we show that an emitter can eliminate both scattering and absorption and cloak a plasmonic antenna. We provide physical interpretations of our results and discuss their applications in active metamaterials and quantum plasmonics.