Regularized quasinormal modes for plasmonic resonators and open cavities

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new finite-difference time-domain method to compute normalized, regularized quasinormal modes in open cavities and plasmonic resonators, simplifying analysis and improving accuracy for optical resonator physics.

Contribution

The authors develop a novel real-frequency FDTD technique to obtain regularized quasinormal modes without complex spatial integrations, enhancing analysis of open optical systems.

Findings

Accurately computes normalized quasinormal modes using a simple dipole source.

Regularized modes ensure correct far-field decay behavior.

Results agree well with full Maxwell simulations.

Abstract

Cavity mode theory and analysis of open cavities and plasmonic particles is an essential component of optical resonator physics, offering considerable insight and efficiency for connecting to classical and quantum optical properties such as the Purcell effect. However, obtaining the dissipative modes in normalized form for arbitrarily shaped open cavity systems is notoriously difficult, often involving complex spatial integrations, even after performing the necessary full space solutions to Maxwell's equations. The formal solutions are termed quasinormal modes which are known to diverge in space, and additional techniques are frequently required to obtain more accurate field representations in the far field. In this work we introduce a new finite-difference time-domain technique that can obtain normalized quasinormal modes using a simple dipole-excitation source and an inverse Green function technique, in real frequency space, without having to perform any spatial integrations. Moreover, we show how these modes are naturally regularized to ensure the correct field decay behaviour in the far field, and thus can be used at any position within and outside the resonator. We term these modes "regularized quasinormal modes" and show the reliability and generality of the theory, by studying the generalized Purcell factor of quantum dipole emitters near metallic nanoresonators, hybrid devices with metal nanoparticles coupled to dielectric waveguides, as well as coupled cavity-waveguides in photonic crystals slabs. We also directly compare our results with full-dipole simulations of Maxwell's equations without any approximations and show excellent agreement.