Introduction to Plasmonics

Plasmonics is a highly dynamic field, and a number of researchers and scientists from other disciplines have become involved in it. This book presents the most widely employed approaches to plasmonics and the numerous applications associated with it. There are several underlying elements in plasmonics research. Advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology have made possible the fabrication of plasmonic nanostructures, deposition of thin films, and development of highly sensitive optical characterization techniques. The different approaches to nanostructuring metals have led to a wealth of interesting optical properties and functionality via manipulation of the plasmon modes that such structures support. The sensitivity of plasmonic structures to the changes in their local dielectric environment has led to the development of new sensing strategies and systems for chemical analysis and identification. The book discusses all of these aspects.