Enhancement of surface plasmons in an Ag aggregate by optical gain in a dielectric medium

M. A. Noginov, Center for Materials Research, Norfolk State University
G. Zhu, Center for Materials Research, Norfolk State University
M. Bahoura, Center for Materials Research, Norfolk State University
J. Adegoke, Center for Materials Research, Norfolk State University
C. E. Small, Center for Materials Research, Norfolk State University
B. A. Ritzo, Summer Research Program, Center for Materials Research, Norfolk State University
V. P. Drachev, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University
V. M. Shalaev, Birck Nanotechnology Center and School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University

Abstract

We have observed the compensation of loss in a metal by a gain in a dielectric medium in the mixture of an Ag aggregate and a Rhodamine 6G dye. The demonstrated sixfold enhancement of the Rayleigh scattering is the evidence of the enhancement of the surface-plasmon resonance. The reported experimental observation facilitates many applications of nanoplasmonics.