Tuning of surface plasmon resonance and its nanostructure fabrication

Abstract

Plasmonics exploits the unique optical properties of nano-scale metallic structures. The research reported in this thesis mainly aims to fabricate large-area metallic nano-structures, achieve multiple surface plasmon resonances (SPR) and investigate the tunability of SPR by making use of different methods. Laser interference lithography (LIL), a fast and maskless lithography technique, has been used in this thesis for large-area parallel patterning. Novel nano-structures have been fabricated by LIL and multiple SPR peaks have been achieved. Up to three SPR transmission peaks have appeared in the thin metal film with large-area array nanopatterns. The tuning of SPR has been demonstrated in the perspectives of surface condition, shape of nanostructure, thermal effect, pattern period and material selection, and detailed mechanism of multiple SPR has been carefully investigated.