Hybrid nanoantennas for directional emission enhancement

Plasmonic and dielectric nanoparticles offer complementary strengths regarding their use as optical antenna elements. While plasmonic nanoparticles are well-known to provide strong decay rate enhancement for localized emitters, all-dielectric nanoparticles can enable high directivity combined with low losses. Here, we suggest a hybrid metal-dielectric nanoantenna consisting of a gold nanorod and a silicon nanodisk, which combines all these advantages. Our numerical analysis reveals a giant enhancement of directional emission together with simultaneously high radiation efficiency (exceeding 70%). The suggested hybrid nanoantenna has a subwavelength footprint, and all parameters and materials are chosen to be compatible with fabrication by two-step electron-beam lithography. (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.