Shining a fluorescent light on optical antennas
Nature Communications
April 20, 2011
A new optical antenna design that can control fluorescent light is described in a paper published in Nature Communications this week. The findings may have implications for many important applications, including optical spectroscopy techniques, biodetection, photochemistry and lighting. Optical antennas made with metal nanostructures can concentrate light into a deep-subwavelength volume for applications in sensors and photovoltaics. Currently there are a lack of antennas that can produce concentrated beams for multiple emitters, which would allow electrical control over their emission properties. Mark Brongersma and colleagues demonstrate an optical antenna design that achieves a high level of control over fluorescent emission. Using a structure called a plasmonic cavity, the emission intensity and wavelength can be controlled electronically. This optical antenna design could be used for a wide range of nanoscale optical spectroscopy applications.
doi: 10.1038/ncomms1286
Research highlights
-
Jun 30
Evolution: Hawks learn on the fly to swoop up before perchingNature
-
Jun 28
Astronomy: Hydrogen- and helium-rich exoplanets may provide habitable conditions for billions of yearsNature Astronomy
-
Jun 24
Sport science: New wearable sensor to measure neck strain may detect potential concussionScientific Reports
-
Jun 23
Scientific community: Women credited less than men in scientific paper authorshipNature
-
Jun 22
Planetary science: Modelling electrolyte transport in water-rich exoplanetsNature Communications
-
Jun 15
Robotics: Taking millimetre-scale origami robots for a spinNature Communications