Showing papers in "Plasmonics in 2014"

Plasmon-Enhanced Fluorescence Biosensors: a Review

Abstract: Surfaces of metallic films and metallic nanoparticles can strongly confine electromagnetic field through its coupling to propagating or localized surface plasmons. This interaction is associated with large enhancement of the field intensity and local optical density of states which provides means to increase excitation rate, raise quantum yield, and control far field angular distribution of fluorescence light emitted by organic dyes and quantum dots. Such emitters are commonly used as labels in assays for detection of chemical and biological species. Their interaction with surface plasmons allows amplifying fluorescence signal (brightness) that accompanies molecular binding events by several orders of magnitude. In conjunction with interfacial architectures for the specific capture of target analyte on a metallic surface, plasmon-enhanced fluorescence (PEF) that is also referred to as metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF) represents an attractive method for shortening detection times and increasing sensitivity of various fluorescence-based analytical technologies. This review provides an introduction to fundamentals of PEF, illustrates current developments in design of metallic nanostructures for efficient fluorescence signal amplification that utilizes propagating and localized surface plasmons, and summarizes current implementations to biosensors for detection of trace amounts of biomarkers, toxins, and pathogens that are relevant to medical diagnostics and food control.

Surface Plasmon Resonance Imaging Sensors: A Review

Abstract: Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) imaging sensors realize label-free, real-time, highly sensitive, quantitative, high-throughput biological interaction monitoring and the binding profiles from multi-analytes further provide the binding kinetic parameters between different biomolecules. In the past two decades, SPR imaging sensors found rapid increasing applications in fundamental biological studies, medical diagnostics, drug discovery, food safety, precision measurement, and environmental monitoring. In this paper, we review the recent advances of SPR imaging sensor technology towards high-throughput multi-analyte screening. Finally, we describe our multiplex spectral-phase SPR imaging biosensor for high-throughput biosensing applications.

Photocatalytic Reduction of CO 2 into Methanol over Ag/TiO 2 Nanocomposites Enhanced by Surface Plasmon Resonance

Abstract: Ag-loaded TiO2 (Ag/TiO2) nanocomposites were prepared by microwave-assisted chemical reduction method using tetrabutyl titanate as the Ti source. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, UV–vis absorption spectrum, X-ray photoelectron spectrum, photoluminescence spectrum, and Raman scattering spectrum, respectively. Results revealed that Ag nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully deposited on TiO2 by reduction of Ag+, and the visible light absorption and Raman scattering of TiO2 were enhanced by Ag NPs based on its surface plasmon resonance effect. Besides, Ag NPs could also effectively restrain the recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes with a longer luminescence life time. In addition, photocatalytic reduction of CO2 with H2O on the composites was conducted to obtain methanol. Experimental results indicated that Ag-loaded TiO2 had better photocatalytic activity than pure TiO2 due to the synergistic effect between UV light excitation and surface plasmon resonance enhancement, and 2.5 % Ag/TiO2 exhibited the best activity; the corresponding energy efficiency was about 0.5 % and methanol yield was 405.2 μmol/g-cat, which was 9.4 times higher than that of pure TiO2. Additionally, an excitation enhancement synergistic mechanism was proposed to explain the experimental results of photocatalytic reduction of CO2 under different reaction conditions.

Plasmonic Enhanced Optoelectronic Devices

Abstract: Plasmonic metal nanostructures have recently attracted extensive research and developed into a promise approach for enhancing the performance of various optoelectronic devices. This brief article reviews recent research advances on the plasmonic enhanced optoelectronic devices and highlights a variety of strategies of incorporating plasmonic nanostructures into different optoelectronics such as solar cells, light-emitting diode, and multicolor photodetector, etc. In addition, the benefits of using various plasmonic metal nanostructures are discussed and the resulting enhancement mechanisms are displayed and summarized.

Scattering Efficiency and LSPR Tunability of Bimetallic Ag, Au, and Cu Nanoparticles

Abstract: Scattering efficiencies of Ag–Cu, Ag–Au, and Au–Cu alloy nanoparticles are studied based on Mie theory for their possible applications in solar cells. The effect of size (radius), surrounding medium, and alloy composition on the scattering efficiency at the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) wavelengths has been reported. In the alloy nanoparticles of Ag1−x Cu x , Au1−x Cu x and Ag1−x Au x ; the scattering efficiency gets red-shifted with increase in x. Moreover, the scattering efficiency enhancement can be tuned and controlled with both the alloy composition and the surrounding medium refractive index. A linear relationship which is in good agreement to the experimental observations between the scattering efficiency and metal composition in the alloys are found. The effect of nanoparticle size and LSPR wavelength (scattering peak position) on the full width half maxima and scattering efficiency has also been studied. Comparison of Au–Ag, Au–Cu, and Ag–Cu alloy nanoparticles with 50-nm radii shows the optical response of Ag–Cu alloy nanoparticle with wide bandwidth in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum making them suitable for plasmonic solar cells. Further, the comparison of Ag–Cu alloy and core@shell nanoparticles of similar size and surrounding medium shows that Cu@Ag nanoparticle exhibits high scattering efficiency with nearly the same bandwidth.

Normal-Incidence Photoemission Electron Microscopy (NI-PEEM) for Imaging Surface Plasmon Polaritons

Abstract: We introduce a novel time-resolved photoemission-based near-field illumination method, referred to as femtosecond normal-incidence photoemission microscopy (NI-PEEM). The change from the commonly used grazing-incidence to normal-incidence illumination geometry has a major impact on the achievable contrast and, hence, on the imaging potential of transient local near fields. By imaging surface plasmon polaritons in normal light incidence geometry, the observed fringe spacing directly resembles the wavelength of the plasmon wave. Our novel approach provides a direct descriptive visualization of SPP wave packets propagating across a metal surface.

Improving the Sensitivity of Fiber Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensor by Filling Liquid in a Hollow Core Photonic Crystal Fiber

Abstract: Inspired by the classic theory, we suggest that the performance of a D-shaped fiber optical surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor can be improved by manipulating the fiber core mode. To demonstrate this, we propose a novel fiber SPR sensor based on a hollow core photonic crystal fiber with liquid mixture filled in the core. The fiber sensor design involves a side-polished fiber with gold film deposited on the polished plane and liquid filling. Numerical simulation results suggest that by tuning the refractive index of the liquid mixture, the predicted sensitivity will be over 6,430 nm/refractive index unit for an aqueous environment, which is competitive for fiber chemical sensing. This optimization method may lead to an ultrahigh sensitivityfiber optical biosensor.

Systematic Theoretical Analysis of Selective-Mode Plasmonic Filter Based on Aperture-Side-Coupled Slot Cavity

Abstract: By taking the aperture as a resonator, we propose an analytical model to describe the dynamic transmission in metal-dielectric-metal (MDM) waveguide aperture-side-coupled with slot cavity. The theoretical results and the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations agree well with each other, and both demonstrate the mode selectivity and filtering tunability of the plasmonic structure. By adjusting the phase shifts in slot cavity or resonance frequency determined by the aperture, one can realize the required transmission spectra and slow light effect. The theoretical analysis may open up avenues for the control of light in highly integrated optical circuits.

Optimal Design for U-bent Fiber-optic LSPR Sensor Probes

Abstract: The refractive index (RI) sensitivity of a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR)-based fiber-optic probes is dependent on surface coverage of gold nanoparticles (GNP), fiber core diameter, and probe geometry. For U-bent LSPR fiber-optic probes, which demonstrated an order higher absorption sensitivity over straight probes, bend diameter and probe length may also have a significant influence on the sensitivity. This study on U-bent fiber-optic LSPR probes is aimed at optimizing these parameters to obtain highest possible RI sensitivity. RI sensitivity increases linearly as a function of surface coverage of GNP in the range of 2–22 %. U-bent fiber-optic probes made of 200-, 400-, and 600-μm fiber core diameter show optimum bend diameter value as ∼1.4 mm. In addition, RI sensitivity is almost the same irrespective of fiber core diameter demonstrating flexibility in choice of the fiber and ease in optical coupling. The length of the probe preceding and succeeding the bend region has significantly less influence on RI sensitivity allowing miniaturization of these probes. In addition to these experimental studies, we present a theoretical analysis to understand the relative contribution of evanescent wave absorbance of GNP and refractive losses in the fiber due to GNP, towards the RI sensitivity.

Maximizing Absorption and Scattering by Dipole Particles

Abstract: This is a review and tutorial paper which discusses the fundamental limitations on the maximal power which can be received, absorbed, and scattered by an electrically small electrically polarizable particle and infinite periodical arrays of such particles.

On the Performance of Highly Sensitive and Accurate Graphene-on-Aluminum and Silicon-Based SPR Biosensor for Visible and Near Infrared

Abstract: We demonstrate the numerical analysis of surface plasmon resonance biosensor based on graphene on aluminum and silicon. Employing matrix method, it is found that the proposed sensor exhibits high imaging sensitivity ∼400 RIU−1 to 550 RIU−1 in a large dynamic range from visible to near IR region. It is observed that the application of monolayer or bilayer graphene over aluminum not only protects it from oxidation but also enhances the adsorption of biomolecules, which results in the detection of large refractive indices ranging from aqueous solution to biomolecules (refractive index 1.330 to 1.480) with overall high performance in terms of imaging sensitivity and detection accuracy.

Plasmonic and Nonlinear Optical Absorption Properties of Ag:ZrO 2 Nanocomposite Thin Films

Abstract: Ag nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in a zirconium oxide matrix in the form of Ag:ZrO2 nanocomposite (NC) thin films were synthesized by using the sol–gel technique followed by thermal annealing. With the varying of the concentration of Ag precursor and annealing conditions, average sizes (diameters) of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) in the nanocomposite film have been varied from 7 to 20 nm. UV–VIS absorption studies reveal the surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-induced absorption in the visible region, and the SPR peak intensity increases with the increasing of the Ag precursor as well as with the annealing duration. A red shift in SPR peak position with the increase in the Ag precursor concentration confirms the growth of Ag NPs. Surface topographies of these NC films showed that deposited films are dense, uniform, and intact during the variation in annealing conditions. The magnitude and sign of absorptive nonlinearities were measured near the SPR of the Ag NPs with an open-aperture z-scan technique using a nanosecond-pulsed laser. Saturable optical absorption in NC films was identified having saturation intensities in the order of 1012 W/m2. Such values of saturation intensities with the possibility of size-dependent tuning could enable these NC films to be used in nanophotonic applications.

Enhanced Electron Photoemission by Collective Lattice Resonances in Plasmonic Nanoparticle-Array Photodetectors and Solar Cells

Abstract: We propose to use collective lattice resonances in plasmonic nanoparticle arrays to enhance and tailor photoelectron emission in Schottky barrier photodetectors and solar cells. We show that the interaction between narrow-band lattice resonances (the Rayleigh anomaly) and broader-band individual-particle excitations (localized surface plasmon resonances) leads to stronger local field enhancement. In turn, this causes a significant increase of the photocurrent compared to the case when only individual-particle excitations are present. The results can be used to design new photodetectors with highly selective, tunable spectral response, which are able to detect photons with the energy below the semiconductor bandgap. The findings can also be used to develop solar cells with increased efficiency.

High-Sensitivity Refractive Index Sensor Based on D-Shaped Photonic Crystal Fiber with Rectangular Lattice and Nanoscale Gold Film

Abstract: We propose and investigate a D-shaped photonic fiber refractive index sensor with rectangular lattice based on surface plasmon resonance. In such sensor, the nanoscale gold metal film is deposited on the flat surface where it is side polished. Numerical results show that the average sensitivity of Au-metalized surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor could reach as high as 8,129 nm/refractive index unit (RIU) in the dynamic index range from 1.35 to 1.41 as well as 2,000 nm/RIU from 1.33 to 1.35. Compared to conventional Au-metalized SPR sensors, the performance of our device is obviously better, and the production process is greatly simplified.

Plasmonic Perfect Absorbers for Biosensing Applications

Abstract: We present a theoretical modal investigation of plasmonic perfect absorbers (PPAs) based on the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) for biosensing applications. We design the PPA geometry with a layer of periodic metallic nanoparticles on one side of a dielectric substrate and a single metallic layer on the opposite side. The electromagnetic (EM) fields confine partly in the surrounding medium above the substrate and within the substrate itself. We examine the modes of the PPA geometry for a wavelength range of 600–1500 nm. The fundamental mode of the system provides perfect absorption for a wide angle of incidence 0–70°. The second-order mode shows a strong angular dependence with a sharp resonance and exhibits perfect optical absorption when the critical coupling condition for LSPR is achieved. The coupling condition depends on the size, periodicity, dielectric spacer, and the surrounding material of the system. The strong dependence on the surrounding material makes it a promising candidate for biosensing applications. We introduce a novel approach to investigate the angular dependence of the refractive index change for the PPA system. This novel technique contributes the significant attributes of the LSPR sensors, can be used for any required resonance wavelength depending on geometric design, and it also provides sensitivity analogous to the standard surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensors.

Effect of Periodicity in the Resonant Scattering of Light by Finite Sparse Configurations of Many Silver Nanowires

Abstract: We consider the two-dimensional (2-D) scattering of the H- and E-polarized plane waves by several discrete configurations made of M> > 1 periodically arranged circular cylindrical silver wires. To find the scattered field, we use the field Fourier expansions in local coordinates and addition theorems for cylindrical functions. Resulting M × M block-type matrix equation is cast to the Fredholm second-kind form that guarantees convergence of numerical solution when each block is truncated to finite dimensions and truncation order is taken larger. The scattering and absorption cross-sections and the near-field patterns are computed. The interplay of plasmon and grating-type resonances is studied for finite in-line and stacked arrays, corners, and crosses made of nano-size silver wires in the visible range of wavelengths, with the refractive index of silver taken from the experimental data.

Optimizing the Refractive Index Sensitivity of Plasmonically Coupled Gold Nanoparticles

Abstract: The possibility to enhance the local refractive index sensitivity using plasmonic coupling between spherical gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) has been investigated. A strong and distinct optical coupling between Au-NPs of various sizes was achieved by controlling the interparticle separation using a layer-by-layer assembly of polyelectrolytes. The frequency of the coupled plasmon peak could be tuned by varying either the particle size or the interparticle separation, shown both experimentally and by theoretical simulations. The bulk refractive index (RI) sensitivity for the plasmonic coupling modes was investigated and compared to the RI sensitivity of monolayers of well-separated Au-NPs, and the results clearly demonstrates that the RI sensitivity can be significantly enhanced in plasmonically coupled Au-NPs. The proposed approach is simple and scalable and improves the rather modest RI sensitivity of spherical gold nanoparticles with a factor of 3, providing a new route for fabrication of inexpensive sensors based on plasmonic nanostructures.

Broadening of Plasmonic Resonance Due to Electron Collisions with Nanoparticle Boundary: а Quantum Mechanical Consideration

Abstract: We present a quantum mechanical approach to calculate broadening of plasmonic resonances in metallic nanostructures due to collisions of electrons with the surface of the structure. The approach is applicable if the characteristic size of the structure is much larger than the de Broglie electron wavelength in the metal. The approach can be used in studies of plasmonic properties of both single nanoparticles and arrays of nanoparticles. Energy conservation is insured by a self-consistent solution of Maxwell's equations and our model for the photon absorption at the metal boundaries. Consequences of the model are illustrated for the case of spheroid nanoparticles, and results are in good agreement with earlier theories. In particular, we show that the boundary-collision broadening of the plasmonic resonance in spheroid nanoparticles can depend strongly on the polarization of the impinging light.

Ultra-Broadband Terahertz Absorbers Based on 4 × 4 Cascaded Metal-Dielectric Pairs

Abstract: We present an ultra-broadband metamaterial absorber in the terahertz regime based on the proposed 4 x 4 cascaded metal-dielectric pairs, which would help to reduce the demand for fabrication precision. The generation mechanism of electromagnetic resonances and the formation process of the ultra-broadband absorption were investigated by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. Numerical results showed that absorptivity of similar to 92 % was obtained between 3.2 and 11.8 THz using the 4 x 4 structure. Such absorber was one of potential candidates for rough terahertz frequency estimator with an average detection resolution of 0.56 THz within a 9-THz range, which could be a supplement to the active terahertz spectrum analyzers with high resolution but limited measurement range (similar to 1 THz).

Enhancing LSPR Sensitivity of Au Gratings through Graphene Coupling to Au Film

Abstract: A particular interesting plasmonic system is that of metallic nanostructures interacting with metal films. As the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) behavior of gold nanostructures (Au NPs) on the top of a gold thin film is exquisitely sensitive to the spacer distance of the film-Au NPs, we investigate in the present work the influence of a few-layered graphene spacer on the LSPR behavior of the NPs. The idea is to evidence the role of few-layered graphene as one of the thinnest possible spacer. We first show that the coupling to the Au film induces a strong lowering at around 507 nm and sharpening of the main LSPR of the Au NPs. Moreover, a blue shift in the main LSP resonance of about 13 nm is observed in the presence of a few-layered graphene spacer when compared to the case where gold nanostructures are directly linked to a gold thin film. Numerical simulations suggest that this LSP mode is dipolar and that the hot spots of the electric field are pushed to the top corners of the NPs, which makes it very sensitive to surrounding medium optical index changes and thus appealing for sensing applications. A figure of merit of such a system (gold/graphene/Au NPs) is 2.8, as compared to 2.1 for gold/Au NPs. This represents a 33 % gain in sensitivity and opens-up new sensing strategies.

Extraordinary Optical Transmission Property of X-Shaped Plasmonic Nanohole Arrays

Abstract: Optical transmission properties of periodic X-shaped plasmonic nanohole arrays in a silver film are investigated by performing the finite element method. Obvious peaks appear in the transmission spectra due to surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) on the top surface of the silver film, to the Fabry–Ferot resonance effect of SPPs in the nanohole, and to the localized surface plasmon resonance of the nanohole. Besides the topologic shape parameters of the X-shaped nanohole, transmission properties strongly depend on incident polarization. The results of this study not only present a tunable plasmonic filter, but also aid in the understanding of the mechanisms of the extraordinary optical transmission phenomenon.

Near and Far-Field Properties of Nanoprisms with Rounded Edges.

Abstract: Photonic devices can be developed, and their working principle can be understood only by considering the phenomena taking place at the nanoscale level. Optical properties of plasmonic structures depend on their geometric parameters and are sensitive to them. Recently, many advanced methods for the preparation of nanostructures have been proposed; however still, the geometric parameters are inaccurate. Numerical simulations provide a powerful tool for the analysis of plasmonic nanostructures. To the best of our knowledge, there are not many papers on near-field and far-field properties of single nanoprism and nanoprism dimer, the so-called bowtie, with rounded edges. For this purpose, Finite Integration Technique implemented to the CST Microwave Studio was used. Besides the edge rounding, an additional modification of the resonance modes was investigated, achieved by placement of a spherical nanoparticle in the gap between the prisms. Results of numerical simulations indicate that the radius of the curvature edges strongly affects the plasmon peak localization, and this effect cannot be neglected in plasmonic device design. Increase in the radius of edge curvature causes main extinction cross-section peak blueshift in all cases analyzed. Moreover, our calculations imply that the nanoparticle in the gap between prisms strongly influences the dependence of spectral properties on the radius curvature.

Fano Resonances Induced by Strong Interactions Between Dipole and Multipole Plasmons in T-Shaped Nanorod Dimer

Abstract: A simple T-shaped plasmonic nanostructure composed of two perpendicular coupled nanorods is proposed to produce strong Fano resonances By the near-field coupling between the “bright” dipole and “dark” quadrupole plasmons of the nanorods, a deep Fano dip is formed in the extinction spectrum, which can be well fitted by the Fano interference model The effects of the geometry parameters including nanorod length, coupling gap size, and coupling location to the Fano resonances are analyzed in detail, and a very high refractive index sensitivity is achieved by the Fano resonance Also by adjusting the incident polarization direction, double Fano resonances can be formed by the interferences of the dipole, quadrupole, and hexapole plasmons The proposed nanorod dimer structure is agile, and a trimer which supports double Fano resonances can be easily formed by introducing a third perpendicular coupled nanorod The proposed T-shaped nanorod dimer structure may have applications in the fields of biological sensing and plasmon-induced transparency

Photothermal Enhancement in Core-Shell Structured Plasmonic Nanoparticles

Abstract: Plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) with photothermal effects can be exploited as efficient heat sources in various applications Here, the photothermal properties in core-shell structured plasmonic NPs, including metal/silica NP, silica/metal NP, and metal/silica/metal NP, are investigated Compared with bare metal NPs, the core-shell plasmonic NPs not only exhibit extremely agile tunability in the surface plasmon resonances but also show considerably enhanced photothermal effects in terms of the maximum temperature rise For metal/silica NPs and metal/silica/metal NPs, the SiO2 shells function as effective thermal-protective layers for enhanced photothermal effect For silica/metal NPs, the SiO2 core and the metal shell show uniform temperature rise These findings are essential for applying the core-shell structured plasmonic NPs on photothermal imaging, nanofluidics, etc

Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance and Refractive Index Sensitivity of Metal–Dielectric–Metal Multilayered Nanostructures

Abstract: The localized surface plasmon resonances of multilayered nanostructures are studied using finite difference time domain simulations and plasmon hybridization method. Concentric metal–dielectric–metal (MDM) structure with metal core and nanoshell separated by a thin dielectric layer exhibits a strong coupling between the core and nanoshell plasmon resonance modes. The coupled resonance mode wavelengths show dependence on the dielectric layer thickness and composition of core and outer layer metal. The aluminum-based MDM structures show lower plasmon wavelength compared with Ag- and Au-based MDM nanostructures. The calculated refractive index sensitivity (RIS) factor is in the order Ag–Air–Ag>Au–Air–Au>Al–Air–Al for monometallic multilayered nanostructures. Bimetallic multilayered nanostructures support strong and tunable plasmon resonance wavelengths as well as high RIS factor of 510 nm/refractive index unit (RIU) and 470 nm/RIU for Al–Air–Au and Ag-Air-Au, respectively. The MDM structures not only exhibit higher index sensitivity but also cover a wide ultraviolet–near-infrared wavelengths, making these structures very promising for index sensing, biomolecule sensing, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

SERS Properties of Gold Nanorods at Resonance with Molecular, Transverse, and Longitudinal Plasmon Excitations

Abstract: The amplification of Raman signals of the heteroaromatic cation 1-(N-methylpyrid-4-yl)-2-(N-methylpyrrol-2-yl)ethylene (PEP+)) bound to Au nanorods (NRs) was investigated at different excitation wavelengths to study the effect of the laser resonance with the absorption band of the PEP+ moiety and with the two plasmon oscillation modes of the NR. Two different PEP+ derivatives, differing in the length of the alkyl chain bearing the anchoring group, were used as target molecules. Raman spectra obtained exciting at 514 or at 785 nm (i.e., exciting the transverse or the longitudinal plasmon band) present a higher intensity than that at 488 nm suggesting a higher Raman amplification when the laser excitation wavelength is resonant with one of the two plasmon modes. Moreover, considering results of Discrete Dipole Approximation (DDA) calculations of the local field generated at the NR surface when either the transverse or the longitudinal plasmon modes are excited, we deduced that the resonance condition of the 514-nm laser excitation with the absorption band of the dye strongly contributes to the amplification of the Raman signal.

Dual Symmetry Breaking in Gold-Silica-Gold Multilayer Nanoshells

Abstract: In this study, the optical properties induced by dual symmetry breaking including both shell cutting and core offsetting in the gold-silica-gold multilayer nanoshells have been studied by the discrete dipole approximation simulations and the plasmon hybridization theory. The influences of the incident polarization and geometrical parameters on the plasmon resonances of these dual-symmetry-breaking Au-silica-Au multilayer nanoshells (DSMNS) are investigated. Under the combined effect of the two types of symmetry breaking, it is found that the polarization-dependent multiple plasmon resonances can be induced in the DSMNS. By changing the polarization of 90o, the switching of the two transparency windows can be flexibly adjusted in the DSMNS with different types of Au core offsetting. This polarization-controlled transparency is likely to generate a wide range of photonic applications such as filters and color displays. Furthermore, the local refractive index sensitivity of the DSMNS is also investigated, and the triple extinction peaks simultaneous shift is found as the surrounding medium changed, which suggests the potential applications for biological sensors.

Design of Plasmonic Perfect Absorbers for Quantum-well Infrared Photodetection

Abstract: Based on analytic formulas and numerical simu- lations, we propose a plasmonic cavity with a top Au grating and bottom Au film to enhance quantum-well infrared pho- todetectors (QWIPs) operating at wavelengths between 2 and 30 μm. By using plasmonic cavity modes, QWIPs can detect light even at normal incidence. With using optimal structural parameters, light can be almost perfectly absorbed by the cavity and over 54 % of the light is absorbed by the QW active region. Compared with the reference structure (without Au layers and with an isotropic active region), the absorption enhancement is over 30 times in the QW active region at normal incidence and remains high value (> 4.5) for p -polarized light in a broad range of incident angle (|θ| < 60 0 ).

Gold Nanoring Arrays for Near Infrared Plasmonic Biosensing

Abstract: Gold nanoring array surfaces that exhibit strong localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPR) at near infrared (NIR) wavelengths from 1.1 to 1.6 μm were used as highly sensitive real-time refractive index biosensors. Arrays of gold nanorings with tunable diameter, width, and spacing were created by the nanoscale electrodeposition of gold nanorings onto lithographically patterned nanohole array conductive surfaces over large areas (square centimeters). The bulk refractive index sensitivity of the gold nanoring arrays was determined to be up to 3,780 cm−1/refractive index unit by monitoring shifts in the LSPR peak by FT-NIR transmittance spectroscopy measurements. As a first application, the surface polymerization reaction of dopamine to form polydopamine thin films on the nanoring sensor surface from aqueous solution was monitored with the real-time LSPR peak shift measurements. To demonstrate the utility of the gold nanoring arrays for LSPR biosensing, the hybridization adsorption of DNA-functionalized gold nanoparticles onto complementary DNA-functionalized gold nanoring arrays was monitored. The adsorption of DNA-modified gold nanoparticles onto nanoring arrays modified with mixed DNA monolayers that contained only 0.5 % complementary DNA was also detected; this relative surface coverage corresponds to the detection of DNA by hybridization adsorption from a 50 pM solution.

Fano Resonances in Compositional Clusters of Aluminum Nanodisks at the UV Spectrum: a Route to Design Efficient and Precise Biochemical Sensors

Abstract: In this study, we have investigated the plasmon resonance coupling between proximal compositional Al nanoparticles that are organized in a closely spaced molecular orientation as nanoclusters. Plasmon hybridization model is employed as a theoretical model to study the spectral response of the proposed nanostructures. The optical properties of trimer, heptamer, and octamer clusters based on Al/Al2O3 nanodisks are evaluated using finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) model numerically. We have proved that a constructive and weak interference between subradiant dark and superradiant bright modes as the plasmon resonance modes causes the appearance of strong Fano resonances at the spectral response of the heptamer and octamer clusters at the UV spectrum. The effects and results of the structural and chemical modifications in the proposed nanoclusters have been discussed and determined. Finally, illuminating an octamer cluster composed of Al/Al2O3 nanoparticles and simultaneous modifications in the refractive index of the dielectric environment lead to dramatic changes in the position and quality of the Fano dip. Plotting a linear figure of merit (FoM) for the proposed octamer and quantifying this parameter for the structure as 7.72, we have verified that the structure has a strong potential to be used in designing precise localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensors that are able to sense minor environmental perturbations with high accuracy. Proposed clusters composed of Al/Al2O3 provide an opportunity to design and fabricate low-cost, high responsivity, tunable, and CMOS-compatible devices and efficient biochemical sensors.