Quantum Rod Emission Coupled to Plasmonic Lattice Resonances: A Collective Directional Source of Polarized Light

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that an array of optical antennas can turn a layer of randomly oriented semiconductor nanocrystals into a highly directional, polarized light source by leveraging collective plasmonic lattice resonances that enhance and direct specific photon energies.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method of using plasmonic lattice resonances in optical antenna arrays to control the directionality and polarization of light emitted from nanocrystals.

Findings

Enhanced emission at specific photon energies

Highly directional and polarized light emission

Spectral overlap of resonances with nanocrystal emission

Abstract

We demonstrate that an array of optical antennas may render a thin layer of randomly oriented semiconductor nanocrystals into an enhanced and highly directional source of polarized light. The array sustains collective plasmonic lattice resonances which are in spectral overlap with the emission of the nanocrystals over narrow angular regions. Consequently, different photon energies of visible light are enhanced and beamed into definite directions.