Theory of Nanophotonics and Nanoplasmonics

When light illuminates nano-sized metallic structures, the free electrons in the metal collectively oscillate, creating 'plasmons'. By specifically designing the geometry and arrangement of the nano-metallic structures, one can direct and concentrate light at small enough volumes to enclose even single molecules. Plasmons (or light in general) have the ability to perturb the atoms in a molecule, such that vibrations are induced on the chemical bonds of a molecule. These vibrations are unique for each molecule, and it is a property used in Raman spectroscopy as a fingerprint to identify molecules. Plasmons in such small volumes have unique and unprecedented properties that impact the molecule vibrations. This PhD project will focus on developing the necessary numerical tools to model and understand this complex interaction between plasmons in small gaps and the molecules' Raman behaviour.