Nanophotonic boost of intermolecular energy transfer

We propose a scheme for efficient long-range energy transfer between two distant light emitters separated by more than one wavelength of light, i.e. much beyond the classical Förster radius. A hybrid nanoantenna-waveguide system mediates the transmission of energy, showing enhancements up to 108 as compared to vacuum. Our model shows how energy transfer in nanostructured media can be boosted, beyond the simple donor Purcell enhancement, and in particular for large donor–acceptor separations. The scheme we propose connects realistic emitters and could lead to practical on-chip implementations.