Limits of luminescence efficiency enhancement by surface plasmon polaritons

Jacob B. Khurgin; Gregory Sun

doi:10.1117/12.737171

25 September 2007 Limits of luminescence efficiency enhancement by surface plasmon polaritons

Jacob B. Khurgin, Gregory Sun

Proceedings Volume 6638, Photonic Metamaterials; 66380R (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.737171
Event: NanoScience + Engineering, 2007, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

We develop a rigorous theory of the enhancement of spontaneous emission from a light-emitting device via coupling the radiant energy in and out of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) on the metal-dielectric interface. We show that while the efficiency of coupling into the SPP mode can be quite high, the radiative efficiency of the SPP itself is relatively low, with a substantial fraction of the energy lost in the metal. Using the GaN/Ag system as an example we obtain easy-to-interpret analytical results that unequivocally indicate that using SPP pays off only for emitters that have medium-to-low luminescence efficiency; thus the SPP applications should be limited to those in sensing and analysis rather than in the development of efficient light sources.

Citation Download Citation

Jacob B. Khurgin and Gregory Sun "Limits of luminescence efficiency enhancement by surface plasmon polaritons", Proc. SPIE 6638, Photonic Metamaterials, 66380R (25 September 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.737171

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