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Electrically-driven Yagi-Uda antennas for light

Author

Listed:
  • René Kullock

    (Nano-Optics and Biophotonics Group, Experimentelle Physik 5, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland)

  • Maximilian Ochs

    (Nano-Optics and Biophotonics Group, Experimentelle Physik 5, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland)

  • Philipp Grimm

    (Nano-Optics and Biophotonics Group, Experimentelle Physik 5, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland)

  • Monika Emmerling

    (Nano-Optics and Biophotonics Group, Experimentelle Physik 5, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland)

  • Bert Hecht

    (Nano-Optics and Biophotonics Group, Experimentelle Physik 5, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland)

Abstract

Yagi-Uda antennas are a key technology for efficiently transmitting information from point to point using radio waves. Since higher frequencies allow higher bandwidths and smaller footprints, a strong incentive exists to shrink Yagi-Uda antennas down to the optical regime. Here we demonstrate electrically-driven Yagi-Uda antennas for light with wavelength-scale footprints that exhibit large directionalities with forward-to-backward ratios of up to 9.1 dB. Light generation is achieved via antenna-enhanced inelastic tunneling of electrons over the antenna feed gap. We obtain reproducible tunnel gaps by means of feedback-controlled dielectrophoresis, which precisely places single surface-passivated gold nanoparticles in the antenna gap. The resulting antennas perform equivalent to radio-frequency antennas and combined with waveguiding layers even outperform RF designs. This work paves the way for optical on-chip data communication that is not restricted by Joule heating but also for advanced light management in nanoscale sensing and metrology as well as light emitting devices.

Suggested Citation

  • René Kullock & Maximilian Ochs & Philipp Grimm & Monika Emmerling & Bert Hecht, 2020. "Electrically-driven Yagi-Uda antennas for light," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-7, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-14011-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-14011-6
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