Three-dimensional coherent plasmonic nanowire arrays for enhancement of optical processes

Abstract

A plasmonic grating sensor having periodic arrays of vertically aligned plasmonic nanopillars, nanowires, or both with an interparticle pitch ranging from λ/8−2λ, where λ is the incident wavelength of light divided by the effective index of refraction of the sample; a coupled-plasmonic array sensor having vertically aligned periodic arrays of plasmonically coupled nanopillars, nanowires, or both with interparticle gaps sufficient to induce overlap between the plasmonic evanescent fields from neighboring nanoparticles, typically requiring edge-to-edge separations of less than 20 nm; and a plasmo-photonic array sensor having a double-resonant, periodic array of vertically aligned subarrays of 1 to 25 plasmonically coupled nanopillars, nanowires, or both where the subarrays are periodically spaced at a pitch on the order of a wavelength of light.

1 . A plasmonic grating sensor, comprising vertically aligned periodic arrays of plasmonic nanopillars, nanowires, or both wherein there is an interparticle pitch that is between λ/8 and 2λ, where λ is the incident wavelength of light divided by the effective index of the sample used to stimulate the device. 
     
     
         2 . The plasmonic grating sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the nanopillars, nanowires, or both comprise silver, gold, aluminum, copper, or other metal used for its plasmonic properties or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The plasmonic grating sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the nanopillars, nanowires, or both comprise a core-shell nanostructure where a semiconductor or dielectric nanowire or nanopillar is coated with a metal film. 
     
     
         4 . A coupled-plasmonic array sensor, comprising vertically aligned periodic arrays of plasmonically coupled nanopillars, nanowires, or both wherein interparticle gaps small enough to enable overlap between the evanescent plasmonic fields between two neighboring nanoparticles, typically requiring edge-to-edge separations that are less than 20 nm. 
     
     
         5 . The coupled-plasmonic array sensor of  claim 4 , wherein the nanopillars, nanowires, or both comprise a metal that exhibits plasmonic effects under optical illumination. 
     
     
         6 . The coupled-plasmonic array sensor of  claim 4 , wherein the nanopillars, nanowires, or both comprise silver, gold, aluminum, copper, or other metal used for its plasmonic properties or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The coupled-plasmonic array sensor of  claim 4 , wherein the nanopillars, nanowires, or both comprise a core-shell nanostructure where a semiconductor or dielectric nanowire or nanopillar is coated with a metal film. 
     
     
         8 . A plasmo-photonic array sensor, comprising a double-resonant, periodic array of vertically aligned subarrays comprising from 1 to 25 plasmonically coupled nanopillars, nanowires, or both. 
     
     
         9 . The plasmo-photonic array sensor of  claim 8 , wherein the subarrays are periodically spaced at a pitch an interparticle pitch that is between λ/8 and 2λ, where λ is the incident wavelength of light divided by the effective index of refraction of the sample used to stimulate the device. 
     
     
         10 . The plasmo-photonic array sensor of  claim 8 , wherein the nanopillar, nanowires, or both in the subarrays have interparticle gaps sufficient to induce overlap of the plasmonic evanescent fields from neighboring nanoparticles, typically requiring edge-to-edge separations of less than 20 nm. 
     
     
         11 . The plasmo-photonic array sensor of  claim 8 , wherein the nanopillars, nanowires, or both comprise a metal that exhibits plasmonic effects under optical illumination. 
     
     
         12 . The plasmo-photonic array sensor of  claim 8 , wherein the nanopillars, nanowires, or both comprise silver, gold, aluminum, copper, or other metal used for its plasmonic properties, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The plasmo-photonic array sensor of  claim 8 , wherein the nanopillars, nanowires, or both comprise a core-shell nanostructure where a semiconductor or dielectric nanowire or nanopillar is coated with a metal film.