A photon interacts efficiently with an atom when its frequency corresponds exactly to the energy between two eigenstates. But at the nanoscale, homogeneous and inhomogeneous broadenings strongly ...hinder the ability of solid-state systems to absorb, scatter or emit light. By compensating the impedance mismatch between visible wavelengths and nanometre-sized objects, optical antennas can enhance light-matter interactions over a broad frequency range. Here we use a DNA template to introduce a single dye molecule in gold particle dimers that act as antennas for light with spontaneous emission rates enhanced by up to two orders of magnitude and single photon emission statistics. Quantitative agreement between measured rate enhancements and theoretical calculations indicate a nanometre control over the emitter-particle position while 10 billion copies of the target geometry are synthesized in parallel. Optical antennas can thus tune efficiently the photo-physical properties of nano-objects by precisely engineering their electromagnetic environment.
We demonstrate that symmetric or asymmetric gold nanoparticle dimers with substantial scattering cross sections and plasmon coupling can be produced with a perfectly controlled chemical environment ...and a high purity using a single DNA linker as short as 7 nm. A statistical analysis of the optical properties and morphology of single dimers is performed using darkfield and cryo-electron microscopies. These results, correlated to Mie theory calculations, indicate that the particle dimers are stretched in water by electrostatic interactions.
Dielectric particles supporting both magnetic and electric Mie resonances are shown to be able to either reflect or collect the light emitted by a single photon source. An analytical model accurately ...predicts the scattering behavior of a single dielectric particle electromagnetically coupled to the electric dipole transition moment of a quantum emitter. We derive near field extensions of the Kerker conditions in order to determine the conditions that strongly reduce scattering in either the forward or backward directions. This concept is then employed to design a lossless dielectric collector element whose directivity is boosted by the coherent scattering of both electric and magnetic dipoles.
We demonstrate experimentally and theoretically that a local excitation of a single scatterer of relative dielectric permittivity ε = 6 permits to excite broad dipolar and quadrupolar electric and ...magnetic resonances that shape the emission pattern in an unprecedented way. By suitably positioning the feed with respect to the sphere at a λ/3 distance, this compact antenna is able to spectrally sort the electromagnetic emission either in the forward or in the backward direction, together with a high gain in directivity. Materials with ε = 6 can be found in the whole spectrum of frequencies promising Mie antennas to become an enabling technology in numbers of applications, ranging from quantum single photon sources to telecommunications.
We show the important role played by the multipolar coupling between the illuminating field and magneto-electric scatterers even in the small particle limit (λ/10). A general multipolar method is ...presented which, for the case of planar non centrosymmetric particles, generates a simple expression for the polarizability tensor that directly links the dipolar moment to the incident field. The relevancy of this approach is demonstrated by comparing thoroughly the dipolar moments predicted by the method with full numerical calculations.
We present a semi-analytic theory for calculating lightaparticle interactions in shaped laser beams even when the paraxial beam description is invalid. It requires weighting the expressions for the ...cross sections with a beam normalization parameter, IDGIDG, associated with the incident power. An analytical formula for IDGIDG in terms of the beam shape coefficients 1, 2 and 3 is derived. We show that approximate expressions for this beam normalization parameter based on either a Parseval or paraxial type approximation are inadequate for optics involving high numerical apertures.
We present a semi-analytic theory for calculating light–particle interactions in shaped laser beams even when the paraxial beam description is invalid. It requires weighting the expressions for the ...cross sections with a beam normalization parameter, ϰ, associated with the incident power. An analytical formula for ϰ in terms of the beam shape coefficients 1–3 is derived. We show that approximate expressions for this beam normalization parameter based on either a Parseval or paraxial type approximation are inadequate for optics involving high numerical apertures.
► A formula relating the power of shaped laser beams to their beam shape coefficients is derived. ► Differences between this exact formula and a Parseval type relation are explained. ► Differences between this formula and a paraxial beam approximation are discussed. ► Applications of this formulation in cross section calculations are demonstrated.
Les antennes optiques sont des structures qui permettent de convertir, dans les deux sens, l'énergie électromagnétique entre un faisceau lumineux et une source (ou un absorbeur) localisée en son ...sein. L'utilisation de résonateurs de taille inférieure à la longueur d'onde permet de réaliser cette fonction de manière efficace, sur une bande spectrale relativement étendue, et d'avoir une antenne compacte.La bonne connaissance des propriétés optiques de ces résonateurs, pris séparément, et de leurs couplages entre eux, est nécessaire pour pouvoir proposer des designs d'antenne efficaces.Dans cette thèse, en se basant sur la décomposition multipolaire des champs et sur la méthode de la matrice-T, on obtient des solutions analytiques rigoureuses pour des résonateurs sphériques et homogènes, dont on tire des modèles simplifiés, intuitifs, et proches de la solution exacte des équations de Maxwell.Entre autre résultats, ces modèles nous ont permis de proposer un design d'antenne optique compacte, directive, à taux de désexcitation et rendement quantique élevés en utilisant une structure hybride métal-diélectrique. Des collaborations avec des expérimentateurs ont permis de valider, d'une part les caractéristiques de chromophores auto-assemblés par ADN (S. Bidault à Paris), et d'autre part, la possibilité d'utiliser plusieurs résonances électriques et magnétiques combinées (supportées par des sphères diélectriques d'indice modéré, n=2,45) pour réfléchir ou bien collecter le rayonnement d'un émetteur dipôle électrique placé à proximité (expérience menée dans le régime micro-ondes par R. Abdeddaim et J-M. Geffrin).
Optical antennas are structures able to convert, in both ways, electromagnetic energy between a light beam and a source (or absorber) placed in the structure. The use of sub-wavelength resonators enables one to realize this function in an efficient way, on relatively broad bandwidths, and to have a compact design. A good understanding of the optical properties of such resonators, taken individually, and of their couplings, is thus necessary in order to propose efficient optical antenna designs. In this manuscript, using a multipole decomposition of the fields and a T-matrix method, we obtain rigorous analytical solutions for spherical, homogeneous resonators, from which we deduce simplified, intuitive models that are still very close to the exact resolution of the Maxwell equations.Among other results, those models enabled us to propose a nanoantenna design that is at once compact, radiative and efficient, by using a hybrid metallo-dielectric structure. Some collaborations with experimental groups enabled us to validate, on the one hand, the optical characteristics of hybrid chromophores that are self-assembled using a DNA template (S. Bidault, Paris), and on the other hand, the possibility of using multiple combined electric and magnetic resonances (supported by dielectric spheres of moderate refractive index, n=2.45) in order to reflect, or more importantly collect, radiation coming from an electric dipole emitter placed nearby (the experiment was realized in the microwave regime by R. Abdeddaim and J-M. Geffrin).
PDF
