Resonant scattering of surface plasmon polaritons by dressed quantum dots

Abstract

© 2014 ALP Publishing LLC. The resonant scattering of surface plasmou-polariton waves (SPP) by embedded semiconductor quantum dots above the dielectric/metal interlace is explored in the strong-coupling regime. In contrast to non-resonant scattering by a localized dielectric surface defect, a strong resonant peak in the spectrum of the scattered field is predicted that is accompanied by two side valleys. The |>eak height depends nonlincarly on the amplitude of SPP waves, reflecting the feedback dynamics from a photon-dressed electron-hole plasma inside the quantum dots. This unique behavior in the scattered field peak strength is correlated with the occurrence of a resonant dip in the absorption spectrum of SPP waves due to the interband photon-dressing effect. Our result on the scattering of SPP waves may be experimentally observable and applied to spatially selective illumination and imaging of individual molecules.