Codreanu, I., & Boreman, G. D. (2001). Infrared microstrip dipole antennas. Microw Opt Technol Lett, 29(6), 381–383.
Abstract: Abstract 10.1002/mop.1184.abs We report on the successful use of niobium microbolometers coupled to microstrip dipole antennas for the detection of midinfrared radiation. Measurements of the detector response versus antenna length performed at the 10.6 μm wavelength allowed us to identify the first three current-wave resonances along the antenna arms. The detector response was also measured as a function of the radiation wavelength in the 911 μm spectral domain. Excellent agreement between the experimental results and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) predictions was obtained.
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Brown, E. R., Lee, A. W. M., Navi, B. S., & Bjarnason, J. E. (2006). Characterization of a planar self-complementary square-spiral antenna in the THz region. Microwave Opt Technol Lett, 48(3), 524–529.
Abstract: This paper describes a compact, self-complementary square-spiral antenna on a GaAs substrate with a broadside high-directivity (~9 dB) frequency-independent pattern when coupled through a silicon hyperhemisphere. The driving-point resistance undulates between ~00 and 300Ω from 200 GHz to 1 THz—much higher than the 72Ω value from Booker's modified formula, but quite beneficial for coupling to high-impedance broadband devices
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Heeres, R. W., Dorenbos, S. N., Koene, B., Solomon, G. S., Kouwenhoven, L. P., & Zwiller, V. (2010). On-Chip Single Plasmon Detection. Nano Lett., 10, 661–664.
Abstract: Surface plasmon polaritons (plasmons) have the potential to interface electronic and optical devices. They could prove extremely useful for integrated quantum information processing. Here we demonstrate on-chip electrical detection of single plasmons propagating along gold waveguides. The plasmons are excited using the single-photon emission of an optically emitting quantum dot. After propagating for several micrometers, the plasmons are coupled to a superconducting detector in the near-field. Correlation measurements prove that single plasmons are being detected.
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Bryant, G. W., García de Abajo, F. J., & Aizpurua, J. (2008). Mapping the Plasmon Resonances of Metallic Nanoantennas. Nano Lett., 5(2), 631–636.
Abstract: We study the light scattering and surface plasmon resonances of Au nanorods that are commonly used as optical nanoantennas in analogy to dipole radio antennas for chemical and biodetection field-enhanced spectroscopies and scanned-probe microscopies. With the use of the boundary element method, we calculate the nanorod near-field and far-field response to show how the nanorod shape and dimensions determine its optical response. A full mapping of the size (length and radius) dependence for Au nanorods is obtained. The dipolar plasmon resonance wavelength λ shows a nearly linear dependence on total rod length L out to the largest lengths that we study. However, L is always substantially less than λ/2, indicating the difference between optical nanoantennas and long-wavelength traditional λ/2 antennas. Although it is often assumed that the plasmon wavelength scales with the nanorod aspect ratio, we find that this scaling does not apply except in the extreme limit of very small, spherical nanoparticles. The plasmon response depends critically on both the rod length and radius. Large (500 nm) differences in resonance wavelength are found for structures with different sizes but with the same aspect ratio. In addition, the plasmon resonance deduced from the near-field enhancement can be significantly red-shifted due to retardation from the resonance in far-field scattering. Large differences in near-field and far-field response, together with the breakdown of the simple scaling law must be accounted for in the choice and design of metallic λ/2 nanoantennas. We provide a general, practical map of the resonances for use in locating the desired response for gold nanoantennas.
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Alda, J., Rico-García, J. M., López-Alonso, J. M., & Boreman, G. (2005). Optical antennas for nano-photonic applications. Nanotech., 16(5), S230–S234.
Abstract: Antenna-coupled optical detectors, also named optical antennas, are being developed and proposed as alternative detection devices for the millimetre, infrared, and visible spectra. Optical and infrared antennas represent a class of optical components that couple electromagnetic radiation in the visible and infrared wavelengths in the same way as radioelectric antennas do at the corresponding wavelengths. The size of optical antennas is in the range of the detected wavelength and they involve fabrication techniques with nanoscale spatial resolution. Optical antennas have already proved and potential advantages in the detection of light showing polarization dependence, tuneability, and rapid time response. They also can be considered as point detectors and directionally sensitive elements. So far, these detectors have been thoroughly tested in the mid-infrared with some positive results in the visible. The measurement and characterization of optical antennas requires the use of an experimental set-up with nanometric resolution. On the other hand, a computation simulation of the interaction between the material structures and the incoming electromagnetic radiation is needed to explore alternative designs of practical devices.
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Kosako, T., Kadoya, Y., & Hofmann, H. F. (2010). Directional control of light by a nano-optical Yagi–Uda antenna. Nat. Photon., 4, 312–315.
Abstract: The plasmon resonance of metal nanoparticles can direct light from optical emitters in much the same way that radiofrequency antennas direct the emission from electrical circuits. Recently, rapid progress has been made in the realization of single-element antennas for optical waves. Because most of these devices are designed to optimize the local near-field coupling between the antenna and an emitter, the possibility of modifying the spatial radiation pattern has not yet received as much attention. In the radiofrequency regime, a typical antenna design for high directivity is the Yagi–Uda antenna, which essentially consists of a one-dimensional array of antenna elements driven by a single feed element. By fabricating a corresponding array of nanoparticles, similar radiation patterns can be obtained in the optical regime. Here, we present the experimental demonstration of directional control of radiation from a nano-optical Yagi–Uda antenna composed of appropriately tuned gold nanorods.
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Novotny, L., & van Hulst, N. (2011). Antennas for light. Nat. Photon., 5(2), 83–90.
Abstract: Optical antennas are devices that convert freely propagating optical radiation into localized energy, and vice versa. They enable the control and manipulation of optical fields at the nanometre scale, and hold promise for enhancing the performance and efficiency of photodetection, light emission and sensing. Although many of the properties and parameters of optical antennas are similar to their radiowave and microwave counterparts, they have important differences resulting from their small size and the resonant properties of metal nanostructures. This Review summarizes the physical properties of optical antennas, provides a summary of some of the most important recent developments in the field, discusses the potential applications and identifies the future challenges and opportunities.
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Huang, K. C. Y., Jun, Y. C., Seo, M. - K., & Brongersma, M. L. (2011). Power flow from a dipole emitter near an optical antenna. Opt. Express, 19(20), 19084–19092.
Abstract: Current methods to calculate the emission enhancement of a quantum emitter coupled to an optical antenna of arbitrary geometry rely on analyzing the total Poynting vector power flow out of the emitter or the dyadic Green functions from full-field numerical simulations. Unfortunately, these methods do not provide information regarding the nature of the dominant energy decay pathways. We present a new approach that allows for a rigorous separation, quantification, and visualization of the emitter output power flow captured by an antenna and the subsequent reradiation power flow to the far field. Such analysis reveals unprecedented details of the emitter/antenna coupling mechanisms and thus opens up new design strategies for strongly interacting emitter/antenna systems used in sensing, active plasmonics and metamaterials, and quantum optics.
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Hu, X., Dauler, E. A., Molnar, R. J., & Berggren, K. K. (2011). Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors integrated with optical nano-antennae. Opt. Express, 19(1), 17–31.
Abstract: Optical nano-antennae have been integrated with semiconductor lasers to intensify light at the nanoscale and photodiodes to enhance photocurrent. In quantum optics, plasmonic metal structures have been used to enhance nonclassical light emission from single quantum dots. Absorption and detection of single photons from free space could also be enhanced by nanometallic antennae, but this has not previously been demonstrated. Here, we use nano-optical transmission effects in a one-dimensional gold structure, combined with optical cavity resonance, to form optical nano-antennae, which are further used to couple single photons from free space into a 80-nm-wide superconducting nanowire. This antenna-assisted coupling enables a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector with 47% device efficiency at the wavelength of 1550 nm and 9-μm-by-9-μm active area while maintaining a reset time of only 5 ns. We demonstrate nanoscale antenna-like structures to achieve exceptional efficiency and speed in single-photon detection.
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Novotny, L. (2007). Effective wavelength scaling for optical antennas. Phys. Rev. Lett., 98(26), 266802(1–4).
Abstract: In antenna theory, antenna parameters are directly related to the wavelength λ of incident radiation, but this scaling fails at optical frequencies where metals behave as strongly coupled plasmas. In this Letter we show that antenna designs can be transferred to the optical frequency regime by replacing λ by a linearly scaled effective wavelength λeff=n1+n2λ/λp, with λp being the plasma wavelength and n1, n2 being coefficients that depend on geometry and material properties. It is assumed that the antenna is made of linear segments with radii Râ‰<aa>λ. Optical antennas hold great promise for increasing the efficiency of photovoltaics, light-emitting devices, and optical sensors.
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