Enhanced light emission from a single quantum well located near a metal coated surface

We observe enhancement in the photoluminescence intensity up to a factor of three from a single quantum well located near a thin metallic film evaporated onto the sample surface. The largest enhancements occur when the silver film thickness is approximately 40 Angstrom, but the luminescence intensity emitted from the coated sample is greater than that emitted from the untreated sample for coverages up to 170 Angstrom. We interpret this enhancement as a consequence of surface plasmon excitation in the metallic film, providing a first indication of a coupling between surface plasmons and light emitted from a quantum well. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.