“Deterministic” quantum plasmonics.
We demonstrate “deterministic” launching of propagative quantum surface-plasmon polaritons at freely chosen positions on gold plasmonic receptacles. This is achieved by using as a plasmon launcher a near-field scanning optical source made of a diamond nanocrystal with two nitrogen-vacancy color-center occupancy. Our demonstration relies on leakage-radiation microscopy of a thin homogeneous gold film and on near-field optical microscopy of a nanostructured thick gold film. Our work paves the way to future fundamental studies and applications in quantum plasmonics that require an accurate positioning of single-plasmon sources and may open a new branch in plasmonics and nanophotonics, namely scanning quantum plasmonics.
Institut Néel, CNRS and Universite´ Joseph Fourier Grenoble, BP 166, 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9, France. aurelien.cuche@grenoble.cnrs.fr
Aurélien
A
Cuche
Oriane
O
Mollet
Aurélien
A
Drezet
Serge
S
Huant
D003198:Computer Simulation; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D008027:Light; D008956:Models, Chemical; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011789:Quantum Theory; D012542:Scattering, Radiation
D006046:Gold