In recent years, driven by the fast development of nanophotonics, the physics and applications of plasmonic waves  interacting with quantum emitters became a hot topic. In particular, the coupling between a highly confined plasmonic waveguide and an optically active medium, such as an organic-dye assembly, attracted much attention, in particular in the context of lasing based on a plasmonic cavity  (SPASER).

The research project is based on several recent advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology which project partners contributed directly::

• Understanding of propagation phenomena and design of plasmonic waveguides, resonators and antennae.
• Progresses in molecular self-assembly, which now develop toward the third dimension, ie above the surface. It is now possible to produce self-organized arrays of light emitters (fluorophores) electronically decoupled from the substrate and with adjustable geometric parameters.

SAMPLE is an exploratory multidisciplinary project which consists in the first realization and optical characterization of self-assembled arrays of dyes strongly coupled to a short-range plasmonic waveguide or resonator.