Focus
Plasmonics applications
- Focus issue:
- January 2015 Volume 10 No 1
Image: Patrice Genevet/Simtech and Stephane Husser
The field of plasmonics and metamaterials has attracted a great deal of interest over the past two decades, but despite the many fundamental breakthroughs and exciting science it has produced, it is yet to deliver on the applications that were initially targeted as most promising. This focus examines the primary fundamental hurdles in the physics of plasmons that have been hampering practical applications and highlights some of the promising areas in which the field of plasmonics and metamaterials can realistically deliver.
Editorial
Focusing in on practical applications - p1
doi:10.1038/nnano.2014.332
What practical applications can the field of plasmonics and metamaterials deliver?
Commentaries
How to deal with the loss in plasmonics and metamaterials pp2 - 6
Jacob B. Khurgin
doi:10.1038/nnano.2014.310
Metal losses affect the performance of every plasmonic or metamaterial structure; dealing with them will determine the degree to which these structures will find practical applications.
The case for plasmon-derived hot carrier devices pp6 - 8
Martin Moskovits
doi:10.1038/nnano.2014.280
Plasmons' progeny are invading the territory currently commanded by semiconductors.
Features
Nano-optics gets practical p11 - 15
doi:10.1038/nnano.2014.314
Early-career researchers share their thoughts on how to make use of the ability to manipulate light at the nanoscale.
Colouring at the nanoscale pp15 - 16
Nicky Dean
doi:10.1038/nnano.2014.316
The increasing miniaturization and resolution of consumer electronics poses quandaries for generating colour in imaging devices, which plasmonic nanostructures may be able to overcome.
Review
Plasmon-induced hot carrier science and technology pp25 - 34
Mark L. Brongersma, Naomi J. Halas and Peter Nordlander
doi:10.1038/nnano.2014.311
This Review discusses recent fundamental advances in hot electron and hot hole science and examines potential usefulness in chemistry and for practical optoelectronic devices.