Photonics (May 2015)

Optical Scattering Cancellation through Arrays of Plasmonic Nanoparticles: A Review

  • Alessio Monti,
  • Andrea Alù,
  • Alessandro Toscano,
  • Filiberto Bilotti

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics2020540
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 2, no. 2
pp. 540 – 552

Abstract

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In this contribution, we review and discuss our recent results on the design of optical scattering cancellation devices based on an array of plasmonic nanoparticles. Starting from two different analytical models available to describe its electromagnetic behavior, we show that a properly designed array of plasmonic nanoparticles behaves both as an epsilon-near-zero metamaterial and as a reactive metasurface and, therefore, can be successfully used to reduce the optical scattering of a subwavelength object. Three different typologies of nanoparticle arrays are analyzed: spherical, core-shell, and ellipsoidal nanoparticles. We prove, both theoretically and through full-wave simulations, that such nanostructures can be successfully used as a cloaking device at ultraviolet and optical frequencies.

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