Optical properties and high-frequency electron transport in plasmonic cavities

Abstract

Boosted by the emerging connection between the fields of plasmonics and molecular electronics, this thesis explores theoretically the relation between the optical properties and the transport properties of plasmonic systems. It is deeply analyzed how the optical response of plasmonic dimers is altered due to the presence of junctions linking both parts of the system. First, the junction is considered to be a pure conductor, since this simple system allows the understanding of the basic behaviour of the problem. Then, a more realistic model is taken into account, where the junction is a molecular linker, and different transition energies, corresponding to potentially adequate molecules, are considered. Finally, the efficiency of the previously studied systems as sensors is explored. Along this thesis, the optical properties and the electromagnetic fields are obtained by solving Maxwell¿s equations exactly by means of a numerical method known as Boundary Element Method (BEM). This thesis contributes to a better understanding in the fields of transport processes and molecular conductance in the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum, a regime not accessible through standard electrical measurements, what makes this work interesting for different research areas.