Rogelio Rodríguez-Oliveros

Gold nanostars as thermoplasmonic nanoparticles for optical heating

Gold nanostars are theoretically studied as efficient thermal heaters at their corresponding localized surface-plasmon resonances (LSPRs). Numerical calculations are performed through the 3D Greens Theorem method to obtain the absorption and scattering cross sections for Au nanoparticles with star-like shape of varying symmetry and tip number. Their unique thermoplasmonic properties, with regard to their (red-shifted) LSPR wavelentgh, (∼ 30-fold increase) steady-state temperature, and scattering/absorption cross section ratios, make them specially suitable for optical heating and in turn for cancer thermal therapy.

Fano-like interference of plasmon resonances at a single rod-shaped nanoantenna

Single metallic nanorods acting as half-wave antennas in the optical range exhibit an asymmetric, multi-resonant scattering spectrum that strongly depends on both their length and dielectric properties. Here we show that such spectral features can be easily understood in terms of Fano-like interference between adjacent plasmon resonances. On the basis of analytical and numerical results for different geometries, we demonstrate that Fano resonances may appear for such single-particle nanoantennas provided that interacting resonances overlap in both spatial and frequency domains.

Heuristic optimization for the design of plasmonic nanowires with specific resonant and scattering properties.

In this contribution, we propose a computational tool for the synthesis of metallic nanowires with optimized optical properties, e.g. maximal scattering cross-section at a given wavelength. For this, we employ a rigorous numerical method, based on the solution of surface integral equations, along with a heuristic optimization technique that belongs to the population-based set known as Evolutionary Algorithms. Also, we make use of a general representation scheme to model, in a more realistic manner, the arbitrary geometry of the nanowires. The performance of this approach is evaluated through some examples involving various wavelengths, materials, and optimization strategies. The results of our numerical experiments show that this hybrid technique is a suitable and versatile tool straightforwardly extensible for the design of different configurations of interest in Plasmonics.

Gold nanorods for optimized photothermal therapy: the influence of irradiating in the first and second biological windows

The light-to-heat conversion efficiency of gold nanorods (GNRs) with surface plasmon resonances in the first (700–950 nm) and second (1000–1350 nm) biological windows has been studied by Quantum Dot based Fluorescence Nanothermometry. It has been found that red-shifting the GNR longitudinal surface plasmon resonance wavelength (λSPR) from the first to the second biological window is accompanied by a remarkable (close to 40%) reduction in their heating efficiency. Based on numerical simulations, we have concluded that this lower heating efficiency is caused by a reduction in the absorption efficiency (ratio between absorption and extinction cross sections). Thermal stability and ex vivo experiments have corroborated that GNRs with λSPR at around 800 nm seem to be especially suitable for efficient photothermal therapies with minimum collateral effects.

Simple magneto–optic transition metal models for time–domain simulations

Efficient modelling of the magneto-optic effects of transition metals such as nickel, cobalt and iron is a topic of growing interest within the nano-optics community. In this paper, we present a general discussion of appropriate material models for the linear dielectric properties for such metals, provide parameter fits and formulate the anisotropic response in terms of auxiliary differential equations suitable for time-domain simulations. We validate both our material models and their implementation by comparing numerical results obtained with the Discontinuous Galerkin time-domain (DGTD) method to analytical results and previously published experimental data.

Limitations of Particle-Based Spasers

We present a semiclassical analytic model for spherical core-shell surface plasmon lasers. Within this model, we drop the widely used one-mode approximations in favor of fully electromagnetic Mie theory. This allows for incorporation of realistic gain relaxation rates that so far are massively underestimated. Especially, higher order modes can undermine and even reverse the beneficial effects of the strong Purcell effect in such systems. Our model gives a clear view on gain and resonator requirements, as well as on the output characteristics that will help experimenters to design more efficient particle-based spasers.

Plasmon spectroscopy: Theoretical and numerical calculations, and optimization techniques

Abstract We present an overview of recent advances in plasmonics, mainly concerning theoretical and numerical tools required for the rigorous determination of the spectral properties of complex-shape nanoparticles exhibiting strong localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs). Both quasistatic approaches and full electrodynamic methods are described, providing a thorough comparison of their numerical implementations. Special attention is paid to surface integral equation formulations, giving examples of their performance in complicated nanoparticle shapes of interest for their LSPR spectra. In this regard, complex (single) nanoparticle configurations (nanocrosses and nanorods) yield a hierarchy of multiple-order LSPR s with evidence of a rich symmetric or asymmetric (Fano-like) LSPR line shapes. In addition, means to address the design of complex geometries to retrieve LSPR spectra are commented on, with special interest in biologically inspired algorithms. Thewealth of LSPRbased applications are discussed in two choice examples, single-nanoparticle surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and optical heating, and multifrequency nanoantennas for fluorescence and nonlinear optics.