The rich photonic world of plasmonic nanoparticle arrays

TLDR

Metal nanoparticle arrays supporting surface lattice resonances enable manipulation of light–matter interactions at the nanoscale, offering high field enhancements over large volumes and long lifetimes. This review outlines design rules, nanofabrication advances, and theoretical foundations for achieving high‑quality optical responses in metal nanoparticle arrays, and discusses their coupling with excitons, applications in lasing and lighting, and future research directions. The authors synthesize recent experimental and theoretical work on lattice resonances, detailing fabrication techniques, coupling mechanisms with molecular and semiconductor excitons, and the resulting optical device architectures.

Abstract

Metal nanoparticle arrays that support surface lattice resonances have emerged as an exciting platform for manipulating light–matter interactions at the nanoscale and enabling a diverse range of applications. Their recent prominence can be attributed to a combination of desirable photonic and plasmonic attributes: high electromagnetic field enhancements extended over large volumes with long-lived lifetimes. This Review will describe the design rules for achieving high-quality optical responses from metal nanoparticle arrays, nanofabrication advances that have enabled their production, and the theory that inspired their experimental realization. Rich fundamental insights will focus on weak and strong coupling with molecular excitons, as well as semiconductor excitons and the lattice resonances. Applications related to nanoscale lasing, solid-state lighting, and optical devices will be discussed. Finally, prospects and future open questions will be described.