Abstract

Localized surface plasmon (LSP) resonances provide a means by which optical energy can be converted to electrical energy and manipulated. Configurations of metal nanostructures can be used to modify the properties of light, due to interactions between the LSP mediated by their evanescent electric fields. Such configurations can be thought of as nanophotonic circuits and it is possible to create optical analogues of electrical circuits that are sensitive to phase. We have developed a simple analytical model that enables us to understand the optical properties of ensembles of nanostructures. The method has been used to design an optical equivalent of the AC Wheatstone bridge circuit with a size scale typically 100 nm. This has applications in sensing and optical signal processing.

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