Multipolar interference for directed light emission.

Hancu, Ion M; Curto, Alberto G; Castro-López, Marta; Kuttge, Martin; van Hulst, Niek F · Nano Lett · 2014

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

By directing light, optical antennas can enhance light-matter interaction and improve the efficiency of nanophotonic devices. Here we exploit the interference among the electric dipole, quadrupole, and magnetic dipole moments of a split-ring resonator to experimentally realize a compact directional optical antenna. This single-element antenna design robustly directs emission even when covered with nanometric emitters at random positions, outperforming previously demonstrated nanoantennas with a bandwidth of 200 nm and a directivity of 10.1 dB from a subwavelength structure. The advantages of this approach bring directional optical antennas closer to practical applications.