Stimulated emission of surface plasmon polaritons by lead-sulphide quantum dots at near infra-red wavelengths

Amplification of surface plasmon polaritons in planar metal-dielectric structure through stimulated emission is investigated using leakage-radiation microscopy configuration. The gain medium is a thin polymethylmethacrylate layer doped with lead-sulphide nanocrystals emitting at near-infrared wavelengths. We demonstrate an optical gain of similar to 200 cm(-1) for the mode under consideration, which corresponds to similar to 32% compensation of SPP loss. (C) 2010 Optical Society of America