title: Mapping bound plasmon propagation on a nanoscale stripe waveguide using quantum dots: influence of spacer layer thickness.
abstract: In this paper we image the highly confined long range plasmons of a nanoscale metal stripe waveguide using quantum emitters. Plasmons were excited using a highly focused 633 nm laser beam and a specially designed grating structure to provide stronger incoupling to the desired mode. A homogeneous thin layer of quantum dots was used to image the near field intensity of the propagating plasmons on the waveguide. We observed that the photoluminescence is quenched when the QD to metal surface distance is less than 10 nm. The optimised spacer layer thickness for the stripe waveguides was found to be around 20 nm. Authors believe that the findings of this paper prove beneficial for the development of plasmonic devices utilising stripe waveguides.
authors.affiliation: Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane 4001, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Chamanei S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Perera
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, Monash University, Clayton 3800, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Alison M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Funston
authors.affiliation: Australian National Fabrication Facility-QLD Node, AIBN, University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Han-Hao
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane 4001, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Kristy C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Vernon
keywords: photoluminescence; plasmonics; quantum dot; spacer layer; stripe waveguide