UC Berkeley

This dissertation focuses on the use of deep sub-wavelength(sub-) nano-photonic structures to enhance radiation of optical emitters. The deep sub-wavelength designs are based on high permittivity contrast of materials involving either purely dielectric interfaces or metal. The optical properties of metal at infrared and optical frequencies enable optical structures that can confine light to dimension smaller than the wavelength. The building blocks of these nano-photonic system are non-resonant, broadband waveguides with dramatic field confinement in the nano-scale low permittivity region. Strong interaction and enhanced radiation leads to efficient coupling into the primary optical mode of the structures which improves fluorescence brightness, saturation, speed, emission efficiency, single photon fidelity at a single emitter-single photon level and holds promise for solid-state lighting, molecular sensing, and quantum information processing application.

The first part of the dissertation explores deep sub-wavelength waveguiding structures as non-resonant optical component that enhances radiation and collects emitted photon with high fidelity. The last part explores the design of small resonator that is constructed from a subwavelength waveguide for use as addressing optical emitters. The benefits of non-resonant design are highlighted throughout.