Surfaces, Vol. 8, Pages 71: Exploring Electromagnetic Density of States Near Plasmonic Material Interfaces

Surfaces doi: 10.3390/surfaces8040071

Authors:
Rodolfo Cortés-Martínez
Ricardo Téllez-Limón
Cesar E. Garcia-Ortiz
Benjamín R. Jaramillo-Ávila
Gabriel A. Galaviz-Mosqueda

The electromagnetic density of states (EM-DOS) plays a crucial role in understanding light–matter interactions, especially at metal–dielectric interfaces. This study explores the impact of interface geometry, material properties, and nanostructures on EM-DOS, with a focus on surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) and evanescent waves. Using a combination of analytical and numerical methods, the behavior of EM-DOS is analyzed as a function of distance from metal–dielectric interfaces, showing exponential decay with penetration depth. The influence of different metals, including copper, gold, and silver, on EM-DOS is examined. Additionally, the effects of dielectric materials, such as TiO2, PMMA, and Al2O3, on the enhancement of electromagnetic field confinement are discussed. The study also investigates the effect of nanostructures, like nanohole and nanopillar arrays, on EM-DOS by calculating effective permittivity and analyzing the interaction of quantum emitters with these structures. Results show that nanopillar arrays enhance EM-DOS more effectively than nanohole arrays, especially in the visible spectrum. The findings provide insights into optimizing plasmonic devices for applications in sensing, quantum technologies, and energy conversion.

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