Plasmon resonance coupling phenomena in self-assembled colloidal monolayers (Phys. Status Solidi A 8∕2017)

Noble metal nanoparticles such as gold and silver support localized surface plasmon resonances upon excitation by visible light. When brought into close proximity or arranged in periodic arrays, these single particle resonances interfere leading to collective, coupled optical response. Tailoring the strength and frequency of the coupled resonance is an important prerequisite for the suitability of such materials for modern nanophotonic applications including sensing, high resolution microscopy and plasmonic lasing. Here, Fitzgerald and Karg (article no. 1600947) review recent works that demonstrate defined plasmon coupling phenomena in self-assembled colloidal monolayers. Design concepts and properties of plasmonic building blocks are presented followed by an introduction to single particle and coupled plasmon resonances. Then examples for near-field, plasmonic/diffractive as well as anisotropic coupling are introduced. Overall, this review highlights the benefits of wet-chemical synthesis for the fabrication of functional building blocks in combination with the flexibility of colloidal self-assembly offering access to high-troughput nanostructuring on application-relevant, macroscopic areas.