Singular and chiral nanoplasmonics

Abstract

Plasmonics has already revolutionized molecular imaging, cancer research, optical communications, sensing, spectroscopy, and metamaterials development. This book is a collective effort by several research groups to push the frontiers of plasmonics research into the emerging area of harnessing and generation of photon angular momentum on micro- and nano-scales. It focuses on two types of angular momentum-sensitive light-matter interactions enhanced by plasmonics-chirooptical and vortical effects. Chiro-optical effects arise in the scattering of light carrying angular momentum by chiral objects, while vortical effects are associated with twisting optical powerflow around local phase singularities created by light scattering on plasmonic elements. The book offers a glimpse into the ongoing efforts to develop new types of plasmonic vortex-pinning platforms for nanoscale light trapping, imaging, and spontaneous emission enhancement. Optical response of chiral plasmonic nanostructures to light beams with different spin angular momenta is shown to offer great promise in molecular imaging and drug discovery. The book also discusses unique opportunities provided by plasmonic nanostructures for the generation of twisted light-optical beams with orbital angular momentum-as well as the use of twisted light to fabricate new types of plasmonic and photonic nanostructures with novel complex geometries and unusual symmetry properties.