Shaping the Fluorescent Emission by Lattice Resonances in Plasmonic Crystals of Nanoantennas

We demonstrate that the emission of light by fluorescent molecules in the proximity of periodic arrays of nanoantennas or plasmonic crystals can be strongly modified when the arrays are covered by a dielectric film. The coupling between localized surface plasmon resonances and photonic states leads to surface modes which increase the density of optical states and improve light extraction. Excited dye molecules preferentially decay radiatively into these modes, exhibiting an enhanced and directional emission.