Generation of pronounced Fano resonances and tuning of subwavelength spatial light distribution in plasmonic pentamers

Nonlinear and ultrafast all-dielectric metasurfaces at the center for integrated nanotechnologies

Metasurfaces control optical wavefronts via arrays of nanoscale resonators laid out across a surface. When combined with III-V semiconductors with strong optical nonlinearities, a variety of nonlinear effects such as harmonic generation and all-optical modulation can be enabled and enhanced at the nanoscale. This review presents our research on engineering and boosting nonlinear effects in ultrafast and nonlinear semiconductor metasurfaces fabricated at the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies. We cover our recent works on parametric generation of harmonic light via direct and cascaded processes in GaAs-metasurfaces using Mie-like optical resonances or symmetric-protected bound state in the continuum, and then describe the recent advances on harmonic generation in all-dielectric metasurfaces coupled to intersubband transitions in III-V semiconductor heterostructures. The review concludes on the potential of metasurfaces to serve as the next platform for on-chip quantum light generation.

Influence of Fano resonance on SERS enhancement in Fano-plasmonic oligomers

Plasmonic oligomers can provide profound Fano resonance in their scattering responses. The sub-radiant mode of Fano resonance can result in significant near-field enhancement due to its light trapping capability into the so-called hotspots. Appearance of these highly localized hotspots at the excitation and/or Stokes wavelengths of the analytes makes such oligomers promising SERS active substrates. In this work, we numerically and experimentally investigate optical properties of two disk-type gold oligomers, which have different strength and origin of Fano resonance. Raman analysis of rhodamine 6G and adenine with the presence of the fabricated oligomers clearly indicates that an increment in the strength of Fano resonance can improve the Raman enhancement of an oligomer significantly. Therefore, by suitable engineering of Fano lineshape, one can achieve efficient SERS active substrates with spatially localized hotspots.

Light Concentration by Metal-Dielectric Micro-Resonators for SERS Sensing

Metal-dielectric micro/nano-composites have surface plasmon resonances in visible and near-infrared domains. Excitation of coupled metal-dielectric resonances is also important. These different resonances can allow enhancement of the electromagnetic field at a subwavelength scale. Hybrid plasmonic structures act as optical antennae by concentrating large electromagnetic energy in micro- and nano-scales. Plasmonic structures are proposed for various applications such as optical filters, investigation of quantum electrodynamics effects, solar energy concentration, magnetic recording, nanolasing, medical imaging and biodetection, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), and optical super-resolution microscopy. We present the review of recent achievements in experimental and theoretical studies of metal-dielectric micro and nano antennae that are important for fundamental and applied research. The main impact is application of metal-dielectric optical antennae for the efficient SERS sensing.

Surface plasmon resonance in gold nanoparticles: a review

In the last two decades, plasmon resonance in gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) has been the subject of intense research efforts. Plasmon physics is intriguing and its precise modelling proved to be challenging. In fact, plasmons are highly responsive to a multitude of factors, either intrinsic to the Au NPs or from the environment, and recently the need emerged for the correction of standard electromagnetic approaches with quantum effects. Applications related to plasmon absorption and scattering in Au NPs are impressively numerous, ranging from sensing to photothermal effects to cell imaging. Also, plasmon-enhanced phenomena are highly interesting for multiple purposes, including, for instance, Raman spectroscopy of nearby analytes, catalysis, or sunlight energy conversion. In addition, plasmon excitation is involved in a series of advanced physical processes such as non-linear optics, optical trapping, magneto-plasmonics, and optical activity. Here, we provide the general overview of the field and the background for appropriate modelling of the physical phenomena. Then, we report on the current state of the art and most recent applications of plasmon resonance in Au NPs.

Constructive-interference-enhanced Fano resonance of silver plasmonic heptamers with a substrate mirror: a numerical study

Plasmonic nanostructures with strong Fano resonance are of fundamental interest. Here, our systematic simulations show that rational positioning of a silver plasmonic heptamer above a highly reflective substrate mirror can significantly enhance its intrinsic Fano-resonance intensity. The silver nanodisk heptamer positioned at an appropriate distance above the reflective substrate enables 2.4 times field enhancement and 3.6 times deeper Fano-dip respectively compared to the heptamer directly placed on silicon oxide substrate. Besides, our results indicate that the Fano-dip position does not shift when the silver nanodisk heptamer gradually shifts away from the reflective substrate mirror (≥60 nm).

Absorption Spectroscopy of an Individual Fano Cluster

Plasmonic clusters can exhibit Fano resonances with unique and tunable asymmetric line shapes, which arise due to the coupling of bright and dark plasmon modes within each multiparticle structure. These structures are capable of generating remarkably large local electromagnetic field enhancements and should give rise to high hot carrier yields relative to other plasmonic nanostructures. While the scattering properties of individual plasmonic Fano resonances have been characterized extensively both experimentally and theoretically, their absorption properties, critical for hot carrier generation, have not yet been measured. Here, we utilize single-particle absorption spectroscopy based on photothermal imaging to distinguish between the radiative and nonradiative properties of an individual Fano cluster. In observing the absorption spectrum of individual Fano clusters, we directly verify the theoretical prediction that while Fano interference may be prominent in scattering, it is completely absent in absorption. Our results provide microscopic insight into the nature of Fano interference in systems of coupled plasmonic nanoparticles and should pave the way for the optimization of hot carrier production using plasmonic Fano clusters.

Tuning Fano resonances with a nano-chamber of air

By designing a polymer-film-coated asymmetric metallic slit structure that only contains one nanocavity side-coupled with a subwavelength plasmonic waveguide, the Fano resonance is realized in the experiment. The Fano resonance originates from the interference between the narrow resonant spectra of the radiative light from the nanocavity and the broad nonresonant spectra of the directly transmitted light from the slit. The lateral dimension of the asymmetric slit is only 825 nm. Due to the presence of the soft polymer film, a nano-chamber of air is constructed. Based on the opto-thermal effect, the air volume in the nano-chamber is expanded by a laser beam, which blueshifts the Fano resonance. This tunable Fano resonance in such a submicron slit structure with a nano-chamber is of importance in the highly integrated plasmonic circuits.

SERS-active dielectric metamaterials based on periodic nanostructures

New dielectric SERS metamaterial is investigated. The material consists of periodic dielectric bars deposited on the metal substrate. Computer simulations as well as real experiment reveal extraordinary optical reflectance in the proposed metamaterial due to the excitation of the multiple dielectric resonances. We demonstrate the enhancement of the Raman signal from the complex of 5,5'-dithio-bis-[2-nitrobenzoic acid] molecules and gold nanoparticle (DTNB-Au-NP), which is immobilized on the surface of the barshaped dielectric metamaterial.

Polarization-Independent Multiple Fano Resonances in Plasmonic Nonamers for Multimode-Matching Enhanced Multiband Second-Harmonic Generation

Plasmonic oligomers composed of metallic nanoparticles are one class of the most promising platforms for generating Fano resonances with unprecedented optical properties for enhancing various linear and nonlinear optical processes. For efficient generation of second-harmonic emissions at multiple wavelength bands, it is critical to design a plasmonic oligomer concurrently having multiple Fano resonances spectrally matching the fundamental excitation wavelengths and multiple plasmon resonance modes coinciding with the harmonic wavelengths. Thus far, the realization of such a plasmonic oligomer remains a challenge. This study demonstrates both theoretically and experimentally that a plasmonic nonamer consisting of a gold nanocross surrounded by eight nanorods simultaneously sustains multiple polarization-independent Fano resonances in the near-infrared region and several higher-order plasmon resonances in the visible spectrum. Due to coherent amplification of the nonlinear excitation sources by the Fano resonances and efficient scattering-enhanced outcoupling by the higher-order modes, the second-harmonic emission of the nonamer is significantly increased at multiple spectral bands, and their spectral positions and radiation patterns can be flexibly manipulated by easily tuning the length of the surrounding nanorods in the nonamer. These results provide us with important implications for realizing ultrafast multichannel nonlinear optoelectronic devices.

Polarization-selective dynamically tunable multispectral Fano resonances: decomposing of subgroup plasmonic resonances

We analyze the design of near infrared all-optical controllable and dynamically tunable multispectral Fano resonances based on subgroup decomposition of plasmonic resonances in hybrid nanoslits antenna plasmonic system. The theoretical investigation complemented with numerical simulations show that the Fano resonance lines shape can be tailored efficiently and continuously with the nanoslits geometry and the variation of the polarization states of the incident light. The subgroup decomposition of the spectral profile and the modification of plasmonic resonances lineshape that leads to the Fano-type profile of transmission is investigated and revealed. The separate contribution from individual spectral of single-slit array subgroup is attributed to the resulting overall multispectral Fano lineshape of the proposed T-shaped slits array at their corresponding spectral peaks zone. The polarization-selective tunability of the multispectral Fano resonances in the planar hybrid plasmonic system creates new avenues for designing multi-channel multi-wavelength tunable Fano effect.

Fano resonance by dipole-hexapole coupling in a χ-shaped plasmonic nanostructure

We demonstrate that pronounced Fano resonance can be obtained by dipole-hexapole coupling in a χ-shaped plasmonic nanostructure. The confined local field in the vicinity of dipole-resonant nanorods excites and coherently couples to the hexapolar mode in the rod perpendicular to the polarization direction of the incident wave, leading to strong Fano resonance. By using the discrete dipole approximation, we numerically investigate the behavior of Fano resonance by dipole-hexapole coupling in the plasmonic nanostructure. We obtain the parameters relevant to Fano resonance by fitting the coupled oscillator model equation to the calculated extinction data and investigate their dependencies on the structural parameters. The results demonstrate the possibility of obtaining high-contrast Fano resonance with narrow features by using this plasmonic nanostructure, which has potential applications for highly sensitive biological sensing, low-loss metamaterials, and others.

Optical magnetism and plasmonic Fano resonances in metal-insulator-metal oligomers

The possibility of achieving optical magnetism at visible frequencies using plasmonic nanostructures has recently been a subject of great interest. The concept is based on designing structures that support plasmon modes with electron oscillation patterns that imitate current loops, that is, magnetic dipoles. However, the magnetic resonances are typically spectrally narrow, thereby limiting their applicability in, for example, metamaterial designs. We show that a significantly broader magnetic response can be realized in plasmonic pentamers constructed from metal-insulator-metal (MIM) sandwich particles. Each MIM unit acts as a magnetic meta-atom and the optical magnetism is rendered quasi-broadband through hybridization of the in-plane modes. We demonstrate that scattering spectra of individual MIM pentamers exhibit multiple Fano resonances and a broad subradiant spectral window that signals the magnetic interaction and a hierarchy of coupling effects in these intricate three-dimensional nanoparticle oligomers.

High-efficiency second harmonic generation from a single hybrid ZnO nanowire/Au plasmonic nano-oligomer

We introduce a plasmonic-semiconductor hybrid nanosystem, consisting of a ZnO nanowire coupled to a gold pentamer oligomer by crossing the hot-spot. It is demonstrated that the hybrid system exhibits a second harmonic (SH) conversion efficiency of ∼3 × 10(-5)%, which is among the highest values for a nanoscale object at optical frequencies reported so far. The SH intensity was found to be ∼1700 times larger than that from the same nanowire excited outside the hot-spot. Placing high nonlinear susceptibility materials precisely in plasmonic confined-field regions to enhance SH generation opens new perspectives for highly efficient light frequency up-conversion on the nanoscale.

Multiple Fano resonances in spoof localized surface plasmons

We present the occurrence of bright modes and dark modes in spoof localized surface plasmons (LSPs) generated by ultrathin corrugated metallic disks. As two such disks with asymmetric geometries are placed in close proximity, we find that dark modes (in multipoles) of one disk emerge by coupling with the bright modes (in dipoles) of the other disk. Then we further observe multiple Fano resonances due to destructive interferences of dark modes with the overlapping and broadened bright modes. These Fano line-shapes clearly exhibit the strong polarization dependence. We design and fabricate the ultrathin corrugated bi-disk structure in the microwave frequency, and the measurement results show reasonable agreement with theoretical predictions and numerical simulations. Such multiple Fano resonances could be exploited for the plasmonic devices at lower frequencies.

Plasmonic Fano resonances in metallic nanorod complexes

Plasmonic Fano resonances (FRs) in nanostructures have been extensively studied in recent years. Nanorod-based complexes for FRs have also attracted much attention. The basic optical properties and fabrication technology of different kinds of plasmonic nanorods have been greatly developed over the last several years. The mutipole plasmon resonances and their flexible adjustment ranges on nanorods make them promising for FR modifications and structure diversity. In this paper, we review some recently studied plasmonic nanorod based nanostructures for FRs, including single nanorods, dimers, mutipole rods and nanorod-nanoparticle hybrids. The corresponding applications of the FRs are also briefly discussed.

Fano resonances in a single defect nanocavity coupled with a plasmonic waveguide

Two Fano resonances are theoretically predicted in a single defect nanocavity, consisting of a rectangular cavity with a small stub defect, side-coupled with a plasmonic waveguide. These two Fano resonances are found to originate from two different mechanisms. One is caused by the excitation of a high-order resonant mode in the rectangular cavity owing to the structural breaking, and the other is attributed to the inherent resonant mode in the small stub defect. The narrow high-order mode and inherent mode couple with the broad low-order resonant mode in the rectangular cavity, giving rise to two Fano resonances. Because of the different origins, these two Fano resonances exhibit quite different responses to the variations of the structural dimensions. This has important applications in highly sensitive and multiparameter sensing in the complicated environments.

Plasmonic nanoclusters with rotational symmetry: polarization-invariant far-field response vs changing near-field distribution

Flexible control over the near- and far-field properties of plasmonic nanostructures is important for many potential applications, such as surface-enhanced Raman scattering and biosensing. Generally, any change in the polarization of the incident light leads to a change in the nanoparticle's near-field distribution and, consequently, in its far-field properties as well. Therefore, producing polarization-invariant optical responses in the far field from a changing near field remains a challenging issue. In this paper, we probe experimentally the optical properties of cruciform pentamer structures--as an example of plasmonic oligomers--and demonstrate that they exhibit such behavior due to their symmetric geometrical arrangement. We demonstrate direct control over hot spot positions in sub-20 nm gaps, between disks of 145 nm diameter at a wavelength of 850 nm, by means of scattering scanning near-field optical microscopy. In addition, we employ the coupled dipole approximation method to define a qualitative model revealing the relationship between the near and far field in such structures. The near-field profiles depend on particular mode superpositions excited by the incident field and, thus, are expected to vary with the polarization. Consequently, we prove analytically that the far-field optical properties of pentamers have to be polarization-independent due to their rotational symmetry.

Mechanisms of Fano resonances in coupled plasmonic systems

Fano resonances in hybridized systems formed from the interaction of bright modes only are reported. Despite precedent works, we demonstrate theoretically and experimentally that Fano resonances can be obtained by destructive interference between two bright dipolar modes out of phase. A simple oscillator model is provided to predict and fit the far-field scattering. The predictions are verified with numerical calculations using a surface integral equation method for a wide range of geometrical parameters. The validity of the model is then further demonstrated with experimental dark-field scattering measurements on actual nanostructures in the visible range. A remarkable set of properties like crossings, avoided crossings, inversion of subradiant and superradiant modes and a plasmonic equivalent of a bound state in the continuum are presented. The nanostructure, that takes advantage of the combination of Fano resonance and nanogap effects, also shows high tunability and strong near-field enhancement. Our study provides a general understanding of Fano resonances as well as a simple tool for engineering their spectral features.

Nanorod orientation dependence of tunable Fano resonance in plasmonic nanorod heptamers

We present orientation dependence and tuning of Fano resonances in plasmonic gold nanorod heptamer nanostructures. The heptamer structures were formed by surrounding a central circular nanoparticle by six satellite nanorods in a hexagonal arrangement and the heptamer structures were then embedded in a thin flexible membrane. The Fano resonance was found to depend on the orientation of the nanorods within the heptamer and for a given orientation, the Fano resonance was dynamically tuned and its symmetry lowered by application of uniaxial mechanical stress. The expected spectral features were obtained by simulations and verified by experiments. The spectral features of the heptamer structures were further characterized by using detailed group theoretical analysis. We show that both sub-structural and mechanical tuning could be employed to engineer the Fano resonances in complex plasmonic molecules.

Influence of symmetry breaking in a planar metamaterial on transparency effect and sensing application

The influence of symmetry breaking in a planar metamaterial on transparency effect is numerically investigated. The planar metamaterial's cell is formed by three parallel metal wires. From numerical simulation results, we can see that the transparency effect results from the asymmetric coupling between the cut wires. The excited mechanism of the transparency effect is further analyzed by using the hybridization concept. It is found that the coupling fields between the cut wires play key roles and lead to the spectral splitting of the resonance, i.e., the classical electromagnetically induced transparency effect. The metamaterial sensor based on the refractive index variation of the surrounding material is also numerically demonstrated and yields a sensitivity of 9.47 mm/RIU and a figure of merit of 13.5. In addition, the spectral response of the metamaterial is quantitatively described via the "three-particle" model. The analytically calculated results of the model show a good agreement with the simulation results.

Polarization tunable transmission through plasmonic arrays of elliptical nanopores

Polarization dependent transmission through thin gold films bearing arrays of elliptical nanopores and assembled at transparent substrates is explored. Far field transmission spectra with incident light polarized along the short and long axis of the ellipses show asymmetric peaks. Near-field finite difference time domain simulated electric field profiles suggest these features are related to Fano resonances between the (± 1, 0) Surface Plasmon Polariton mode and the ( ± 1, 0) Rayleigh Anomaly. The unique spectral signature of these samples makes them attractive for visible and near infrared tags for anti-counterfeiting applications.

Dark modes and Fano resonances in plasmonic clusters excited by cylindrical vector beams

Control of the polarization distribution of light allows tailoring the electromagnetic response of plasmonic particles. By rigorously extending the generalized multiparticle Mie theory, we show that focused cylindrical vector beams (CVB) can be used to efficiently excite dark plasmon modes in nanoparticle clusters. In addition to the small radiative damping and large field enhancement associated to dark modes, excitation with CVB can give place to unusual phenomenology like the formation of electromagnetic cold spots and the generation of Fano resonances in highly symmetric clusters. Overall, the results show the potential of CVB to tailor the plasmonic response of nanoparticle clusters in a unique way.

A plasmonic Fano switch

Plasmonic clusters can support Fano resonances, where the line shape characteristics are controlled by cluster geometry. Here we show that clusters with a hemicircular central disk surrounded by a circular ring of closely spaced, coupled nanodisks yield Fano-like and non-Fano-like spectra for orthogonal incident polarization orientations. When this structure is incorporated into an uniquely broadband, liquid crystal device geometry, the entire Fano resonance spectrum can be switched on and off in a voltage-dependent manner. A reversible transition between the Fano-like and non-Fano-like spectra is induced by relatively low (∼6 V) applied voltages, resulting in a complete on/off switching of the transparency window.

Multiple Fano resonances in plasmonic heptamer clusters composed of split nanorings

Fano resonances in plasmonic nanostructures are important for plasmon line shaping. Compared to a single Fano resonance, multiple Fano resonances can modify plasmon lines at several spectral positions simultaneously, but they often suffer from weak modulation depths. In this paper, plasmonic heptamer clusters comprising split nanorings are designed to form multiple Fano resonances. Three prominent Fano resonances are observed in the spectra due to the formation of multiple narrow subradiant resonances, and the multiple Fano resonances can be switched on and off by adjusting the polarization direction. Particularly, by modifying the geometry parameters, there is a large tunability of the modulation depth of each Fano resonance. Heptamer clusters comprising split nanorings are highly suitable for plasmon line shaping, and it is expected that they are useful for multiwavelength biosensing and surface-enhanced Raman scattering.

Plasmonic nanoclusters: near field properties of the Fano resonance interrogated with SERS

While the far field properties of Fano resonances are well-known, clusters of plasmonic nanoparticles also possess Fano resonances with unique and spatially complex near field properties. Here we examine the near field properties of individual Fano resonant plasmonic clusters using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) both from molecules distributed randomly on the structure and from dielectric nanoparticles deposited at specific locations within the cluster. Cluster size, geometry, and interparticle spacing all modify the near field properties of the Fano resonance. For molecules, the spatially dependent SERS response obtained from near field calculations correlates well with the relative SERS intensities observed for individual clusters and for specific Stokes modes of a para-mercaptoaniline adsorbate. In all cases, the largest SERS enhancement is found when both the excitation and the Stokes shifted wavelengths overlap the Fano resonances. In contrast, for SERS from carbon nanoparticles we find that the dielectric screening introduced by the nanoparticle can drastically redistribute the field enhancement associated with the Fano resonance and lead to a significantly modified SERS response compared to what would be anticipated from the bare nanocluster.

Designing and deconstructing the Fano lineshape in plasmonic nanoclusters

By varying the relative dimensions of the central and peripheral disks of a plasmonic nanocluster, the depth of its Fano resonance can be systematically modified; spectral windows where the scattering cross section of the nanocluster is negligible can be obtained. In contrast, electron-beam excitation of the plasmon modes at specific locations within the nanocluster yields cathodoluminescence spectra with no Fano resonance. By examining the selection rules for plasmon excitation in the context of a coupled oscillator picture, we provide an intuitive explanation of this behavior based on the plasmon modes observed for optical and electron-beam excitation in this family of nanostructures.

Electromagnetic field enhancement and spectrum shaping through plasmonically integrated optical vortices

We introduce a new design approach for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates that is based on molding the optical powerflow through a sequence of coupled nanoscale optical vortices "pinned" to rationally designed plasmonic nanostructures, referred to as Vortex Nanogear Transmissions (VNTs). We fabricated VNTs composed of Au nanodiscs by electron beam lithography on quartz substrates and characterized their near- and far-field responses through combination of computational electromagnetism, and elastic and inelastic scattering spectroscopy. Pronounced dips in the far-field scattering spectra of VNTs provide experimental evidence for an efficient light trapping and circulation within the nanostructures. Furthermore, we demonstrate that VNT integration into periodic arrays of Au nanoparticles facilitates the generation of high E-field enhancements in the VNTs at multiple defined wavelengths. We show that spectrum shaping in nested VNT structures is achieved through an electromagnetic feed-mechanism driven by the coherent multiple scattering in the plasmonic arrays and that this process can be rationally controlled by tuning the array period. The ability to generate high E-field enhancements at predefined locations and frequencies makes nested VNTs interesting substrates for challenging SERS applications.

Molding the flow of light on the nanoscale: from vortex nanogears to phase-operated plasmonic machinery

Efficient delivery of light into nanoscale volumes by converting free photons into localized charge-density oscillations (surface plasmons) enables technological innovation in various fields from biosensing to photovoltaics and quantum computing. Conventional plasmonic nanostructures are designed as nanoscale analogs of radioantennas and waveguides. Here, we discuss an alternative approach for plasmonic nanocircuit engineering that is based on molding the optical powerflow through 'vortex nanogears' around a landscape of local phase singularities 'pinned' to plasmonic nanostructures. We show that coupling of several vortex nanogears into transmission-like structures results in dramatic optical effects, which can be explained by invoking a hydrodynamic analogy of the 'photon fluid'. The new concept of vortex nanogear transmissions (VNTs) provides new design principles for the development of complex multi-functional phase-operated photonics machinery and, therefore, generates unique opportunities for light generation, harvesting and processing on the nanoscale.

Large-area high-quality plasmonic oligomers fabricated by angle-controlled colloidal nanolithography

We introduce angle-controlled colloidal nanolithography as a fast and low-cost fabrication technique for large-area periodic plasmonic oligomers with complex shapes and tunable geometry parameters. We investigate the optical properties and find highly modulated plasmon modes in oligomers with triangular building blocks. Fundamental modes, higher-order modes, as well as Fano resonances due to coupling between bright and dark modes within the same complex structure are present, depending on polarization and structure geometry. Our process is well-suited for mass fabrication of novel large-area plasmonic sensing devices and nanoantennas.

Fano resonance in dual-disk ring plasmonic nanostructures

A dual-disk ring (DDR) structure with broken symmetry and weakly dissipating material, silver, is proposed to achieve Fano resonance in visible wavelength range. Symmetry breaking of a metallic ring is realized by placing two disks inside the ring. The excitation of the Fano resonance is interpreted in terms of coupling of the ring and the dual-disk plasmonic modes. The potential of using an array of such DDR nano structures as a biochemical sensor is evaluated with the figure of merit (FOM). Based on our design and simulation, arrays with DDR structures are fabricated and the Fano resonance peak is observed in visible wavelength range of extinction spectra of individual silver DDR nanostructures.

Adaptive on-chip control of nano-optical fields with optoplasmonic vortex nanogates

A major challenge for plasmonics as an enabling technology for quantum information processing is the realization of active spatio-temporal control of light on the nanoscale. The use of phase-shaped pulses or beams enforces specific requirements for on-chip integration and imposes strict design limitations. We introduce here an alternative approach, which is based on exploiting the strong sub-wavelength spatial phase modulation in the near-field of resonantly-excited high-Q optical microcavities integrated into plasmonic nanocircuits. Our theoretical analysis reveals the formation of areas of circulating powerflow (optical vortices) in the near-fields of optical microcavities, whose positions and mutual coupling can be controlled by tuning the microcavities parameters and the excitation wavelength. We show that optical powerflow though nanoscale plasmonic structures can be dynamically molded by engineering interactions of microcavity-induced optical vortices with noble-metal nanoparticles. The proposed strategy of re-configuring plasmonic nanocircuits via locally-addressable photonic elements opens the way to develop chip-integrated optoplasmonic switching architectures, which is crucial for implementation of quantum information nanocircuits.

Influence of plasmon destructive interferences on optical properties of gold planar quadrumers

Arrays of planar symmetric gold quadrumers consisting of a central nano-disc surrounded by three similar nano-discs belonging to the D(3h) point group were designed and fabricated. Since the geometrical configuration of quadrumers is the same as planar trigonal molecules, nano-discs can play the roles of artificial atoms to study the coupling trends among them. The plasmonic properties of the nano-disc structures are investigated by reflection spectrum measurement and finite-difference time-domain calculation with good agreement. Plasmon interaction among the nano-discs is also studied via a mass-spring coupled oscillator model. A pronounced Fano resonance (FR) is observed for the fabricated nano-discs with inter-disk gaps of around 18 nm during light irradiation at normal incidence. Although the obtained FR is independent of the excitation polarization, the near-field energy spatial distribution can be flexibly tuned by the polarization direction. This has potential applications in nano-lithography, optical switching and nonlinear spectroscopy.