Abstract
Abstract Hybrid cavity-antenna systems have been proposed to combine the sub-wavelength light confinement of plasmonic antennas with microcavity quality factors Q. Here, we examine what confinement and Q can be reached in these hybrid systems, and we address their merits for various applications in classical and quantum optics. Specifically, we investigate their applicability for quantum-optical applications at noncryogenic temperatures. To this end we first derive design rules for hybrid resonances from a simple analytical model. These rules are benchmarked against full-wave simulations of hybrids composed of state-of-the-art nanobeam cavities and plasmonic-dimer gap antennas. We find that hybrids can outperform the plasmonic and cavity constituents in terms of Purcell factor, and additionally offer freedom to reach any Q at a similar Purcell factor. We discuss how these metrics are highly advantageous for a high Purcell factor, yet weak-coupling applications, such as bright sources of indistinguishable single photons. The challenges for room-temperature strong coupling, however, are far more daunting: the extremely high dephasing of emitters implies that little benefit can be achieved from trading confinement against a higher Q, as done in hybrids. An attractive alternative could be strong coupling at liquid nitrogen temperature, where emitter dephasing is lower and this trade-off can alleviate the stringent fabrication demands required for antenna strong coupling. For few-emitter strong-coupling, high-speed and low-power coherent or incoherent light sources, particle sensing and vibrational spectroscopy, hybrids provide the unique benefit of very high local optical density of states, tight plasmonic confinement, yet microcavity Q.
Highlights
Microcavities are a key building block for all branches of optics, and over the last 30 years, their development has been a mainstay of micro- and nanoscale optics research efforts
We find that hybrids can outperform the plasmonic and cavity constituents in terms of Purcell factor, and offer freedom to reach any Q at a similar Purcell factor
In this work we have quantitatively assessed the merits of hybrid plasmonic-dielectric cavity-antenna systems, focusing on the achievable trade-off in confinement and quality factor, and the merits for diverse applications
Summary
Microcavities are a key building block for all branches of optics, and over the last 30 years, their development has been a mainstay of micro- and nanoscale optics research efforts. In this work we present a survey of the performance that should be available with hybrids if one assumes access to state-ofthe-art building block cavities and antennas To this end we discuss full-wave calculations on envisioned combinations of constituents, and on the basis of a simple model, propose and benchmark a set of crucial design rules of thumb. We conclude that hybrids are unique for their very high Purcell factors at any Q, even if their confinement is not as good as that in the very best plasmon antenna This characteristic may offer a pathway to single-emitter strong coupling at liquid nitrogen temperatures with many different types of emitters, and to bright, low-jitter single-photon sources that might reach indistinguishability yet even operate at room temperature. We first describe the separate components, followed by a discussion of the merits of the hybrid system
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