SC324. Plasmonics

Sunday, October 24, 2010, 1:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Stefan Maier; Experimental Solid State Group, Dept. of Physics, Imperial College London, UK

Level: Advanced Beginner (basic understanding of topic is necessary to follow course material)

Course Description

Plasmonics, the study and exploitation of surface plasmon polaritons and localized surface plasmon modes, has the potential to underpin optical sciences and technology of the 21st century by opening up the nanoscale for optical manipulation. The field is currently at the forefront of a revolution in the optical sciences, spanning various research disciplines from fundamental optical studies to the provision of nanophotonic tools for materials science, biological sensing and optical engineering.

This course will provide an introduction into the field, taking the basic description of these modes via Maxwell’s equations as the starting point. Prominent applications such as surface enhanced sensing, nanophotonics waveguiding, extraordinary transmission through hole arrays and plasmonic metamaterials will be discussed, amongst others. The course is partially based on the book Plasmonics—Fundamentals and Applications by the presenter.

Benefits and Learning Objectives

This course should enable you to:

  • Develop a basic understanding of both localized and propagating surface plasmons.
  • Apply design criteria for the development of nanophotonic waveguides and cavities.
  • Handle basic electromagnetic design tools for nanophotonics.
  • Transfer gained knowledge on plasmonics into a variety of reserach disciplines.

Intended Audience

This course is aimed at students and researchers in the optical sciences, with a basic knowledge of electromagnetism.

Instructor Biography

Stefan Maier is a member of academic staff in the Physics Department at Imperial College, having held previous positions at the University of Bath and at Caltech. His main research interests lie in plasmonics in metamaterials, particularly in plasmon waveguides, sensors and far-infrared plasmonic metamaterials. He frequently gives invited talks and tutorials on the subject, and is the author of the highly successful introductory text Plasmonics—Fundamentals and Applications.