Metal Nanowire-Induced Enhancement of Surface Emission in Luminescent Glass

Abstract

Luminescent glass, as an important component of photonic materials, is extensively utilized in applications such as lasers and optical fiber amplifiers, which demand high quantum efficiency. To further enhance the surface emission performance of luminescent glass, this study introduces a novel approach by employing custom-made metal nanowires, applying them as coatings on the surface of Erbium-doped glass, rather than embedding traditional metal nanoparticles. Utilizing experimental techniques and Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) simulations, it is demonstrated that the surface-emission from Erbium-doped glass coated with silver nanowires or copper nanowire-graphene hybrids is significantly increased, showing an enhancement rate of up to 117.27% compared to intrinsic glass. Extended FDTD analysis reveals that variations in the size and density of the nanowires can optimize emission characteristics, thereby improving the emission performance of luminescent glass. The enhancement of the local electromagnetic field at the interface underscores the efficacy of metal nanowires in boosting photonic materials. This study not only highlights the practicality of metal nanowires in photonics but also introduces a rapid deployment pathway for customizing photonic interactions through nano-engineering, potentially extendable to other photonic materials.