Eur. Phys. J. D 20, 133-148 (2002)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2002-00107-2

Spontaneous emission of an atom placed near a prolate nanospheroid

¹ P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, 53 Leninsky Prospect, Moscow 117924, Russia
² Laboratoire de Physique des Lasers (UMR 7538 du CNRS) , Université Paris-Nord, Institut Galilée, avenue J.-B. Clément, 93430 Villetaneuse, France
³ Institute of Spectroscopy, Russian Academy of Sciences, Troitsk 142092, Moscow Region, Russia

Corresponding author: ^a ducloy@galilee.univ-paris13.fr

Received: 2 January 2002
Revised: 3 April 2002
Published online: 28 June 2002

Abstract

The frequency shift and linewidth variation of an atomic oscillator placed next to a prolate dielectric or metal spheroid are found within the framework of the classical approach. Both the frequency shift and linewidth are shown to be substantially dependent on the location of the atom and the form of the nanospheroid and capable of reaching very high values near the surface of the nanospheroid under plasmon (polariton) resonance conditions. The predictions are compared with those found for spherical and cylindrical geometries. The prolate spheroid is treated as a model of a needle tip in apertureless optical scanning microscopy. Effects of sharpness of interaction between the nanospheroid tip and atoms are considered.