Optical interaction between small plasmonic nanowires: A perspective from induced forces and torques

EKEROTH, RICARDO M. ABRAHAM

Journal of Optics (United Kingdom)

Institute of Physics Publishing

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2016 vol. 18 p. 1 - 16

2040-8978

This paper addresses a new numerical study of the near electromagnetic coupling between two small, metallic nanowires under plane-wave illumination. The forces and torques induced give a different point of view of the interaction. The analysis of these near-field, mechanical observables is based entirely on the plasmon hybridization model, with the help of an adequate correlation with far fields. Although several studies of the opto-mechanical inductions have been done, unexpected features of the movement are obtained. ´Coordinated´ spin for the wires are found, in addition to binding or repulsion forces between the wires and scattering forces. For heterodimers, also orbital torques are obtained. The binding and rotation of the nanowires as well as orbital torques are strongly dependent on the plasmonic excitations of the system. They identify uniquely the surface plasmons. In particular, dark modes can be optically detected without using evanescent fields. The optical forces and torques are calculated exactly by Maxwell stress tensor. ´Realistic´ infinite nanowires of silver and gold are simulated by a size correction in bulk dielectric function. Thus, the importance of this correction on the mechanical results is also studied. The results can contribute to the design of devices for real observation/detection of surface plasmons. The spectra of forces, and specially of torques, show more resolved resonances because overlapping effects are not as present as in far-field calculations. The spinning of wires found and the analysis made could open new directions of studies and applications of dimers.