Surface plasmon coupling dynamics in InGaN/GaN quantum-well structures and radiative efficiency improvement

Surface plasmonics from metal nanoparticles have been demonstrated as an effective way of improving the performance of low-efficiency light emitters. However, reducing the inherent losses of the metal nanoparticles remains a challenge. Here we study the enhancement properties by Ag nanoparticles for InGaN/GaN quantum-well structures. By using a thin SiN dielectric layer between Ag and GaN we manage to modify and improve surface plasmon coupling effects, and we attribute this to the improved scattering of the nanoparticles at the quantum-well emission wavelength. The results are interpreted using numerical simulations, where absorption and scattering cross-sections are studied for different sized particles on GaN and GaN/SiN substrates.