Control of spontaneous emission in a volume of functionalized hyperbolic metamaterial

We have developed a simple method to fabricate lamellar metal-dielectric hyperbolic metamaterials on flat, flexible, and curvilinear substrates, which allows for functionalization of dielectric layers by dye molecules. The control of spontaneous emission of dye molecules with hyperbolic metamaterials has been studied in two different sample configurations, and the effect has been found to be much stronger when emitters are placed inside the metamaterial rather than on its surface. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3631723]