Dye-embedded and nanopatterned hyperbolic metamaterials for spontaneous emission rate enhancement

Abstract

Enhancement of spontaneous emission is a dynamic and challenging fundamental quantum phenomenon in optics and in a nutshell it opens new avenues for a spectrum of futuristic applications. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a large improvement in spontaneous emission rate enhancement of fluorescent molecules using dye-embedded and grating-coupled (nanopatterned) multilayered metal–dielectric hyperbolic metamaterials (HMMs). About a 35-fold spontaneous emission decay rate enhancement of dye molecules is obtained using a two-dimensional (2D) silver diffraction grating coupled with dye-embedded hyperbolic metamaterial. Further, we numerically and experimentally demonstrate a comparative study on the modification of spontaneous emission of fluorescent dye molecules placed in the vicinity of a HMM structure and a dye molecules embedded HMM structure. The obtained results pave the way for finding fruitful applications, including single photon sources.