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Optical antennas direct single-molecule emission

Nature Photonics volume 2, pages 234–237 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Antennas have been used for more than a century to control the emission and collection of radio and microwave radiation1. An optical analogue is of great interest as it will allow unique control of absorption and emission2,3 at the nanometre scale4. Despite the intense recent research on optical antennas5,6,7,8, one of the main functions of traditional antennas, the directing of radiation, remains a challenge at optical frequencies. Here we experimentally demonstrate control of the emission direction of individual molecules by reversible coupling to an optical monopole antenna. We show how the angular emission of the coupled system is determined by the dominant antenna mode—that is, the antenna design—regardless of molecular orientation. This result reveals the role of the plasmon mode in the emission process and provides a clear guideline how to exploit the large available library of radio antennas to direct emission in nano-optical microscopy9,10, spectroscopy11,12 and light-emitting devices, including single-photon sources13,14,15.

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Figure 1: Emission control with a dipole antenna.
Figure 2: Optical monopole antenna.
Figure 3: Single-molecule fluorescence.
Figure 4: The electromagnetic field of a dipole emitter near the antenna.
Figure 5: Control of angular emission with an optical monopole antenna.

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Acknowledgements

We thank J. Overman for performing the initial experiments, L. Kuipers and R.J. Moerland for discussions, Computer Simulation Technology (CST), Darmstadt, Germany, for constructive feedback on the use of Microwave Studio, and the Koerber Foundation (Hamburg, Germany) for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ICFO — Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, Mediterranean Technology Park, Castelldefels, (Barcelona), 08860, Spain

    T. H. Taminiau, F. D. Stefani & N. F. van Hulst

  2. Optical Sciences Group, MESA+ Institute for NanoTechnology, University of Twente, PO Box 217, Enschede, 7500AE, The Netherlands

    F. B. Segerink

  3. ICREA — Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Barcelona, 08015, Spain

    N. F. van Hulst

Authors
  1. T. H. Taminiau
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  2. F. D. Stefani
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  3. F. B. Segerink
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  4. N. F. van Hulst
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Contributions

T.H.T. performed the experiments, carried out the interpretation and wrote the manuscript. F.D.S. and T.H.T. performed and processed the FIT calculations. F.B.S. and T.H.T. fabricated the antennas. N.F.v.H. supervised the project.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to N. F. van Hulst.

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Taminiau, T., Stefani, F., Segerink, F. et al. Optical antennas direct single-molecule emission. Nature Photon 2, 234–237 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphoton.2008.32

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