Plasmonics is the study of the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with metals.

Electromagnetic radiation in the optical realm interacts with metal material via reflection or transmission, based on the particular frequency of incident light used. Analyzing the plasmonic effect in metals is important to the development of nano-optics and used in sensor and surface enhancement devices. These nano-optics can be designed as spherical colloids or metal tips on the nanometer scale.

This phenomena can be tuned to generate a surface plasmon resonance (SPR). SPR is a condition where electrons are driven resonantly at an metal surface in order to generate a large local electromagnetic field. This effect may be achieved by laser illumination of a carefully chosen surface and used to measure pressures, temperatures, and protein binding concentrations at extremely sensitive levels.

Explanation of images:

(top left) Electric Field Magnitude of a small triangular particle of Au.

(top right) Electric Field Magnitude of small spherical particles of Au.

(center-left to right) Double prismatic Au Particle Field Modeling - Local Field Polarizations.

(bottom left) Au - CNT GT Cone Modeling.

(bottom right) Au - CNT GT Cone Modeling- E field, J. (Current Density)