Enhanced Color Conversion of Quantum Dots Located in the Hot Spot of Surface Plasmon Coupling

For improving the performance of the photon color conversion from the energy of an InGaN/GaN quantum-well (QW) structure into the longer-wavelength emission of a colloidal quantum dot (QD), we insert the photoresist solution of the QD into a surface nano-hole, whose bottom face is about 10 nm higher than the top QW. The sample top surface is then cleaned for depositing Ag nanoparticles (NPs) to induce the surface plasmon (SP) coupling with the QW structure such that the QDs inside the nano-holes are located in the region of strong field distribution (hot spot). In this situation, the SP coupling can enhance the Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) from QW into QD and the QD emission efficiency for producing a stronger color conversion process. The nanoscale-cavity effect of the nano-hole structure can further strengthen the SP-coupling enhanced FRET and QD emission.