Chapter 7
Ultrafast and Nonlinear Plasmon Dynamics
Markus B. Raschke, Samuel Berweger and Joanna M. Atkin
Abstract The interaction of light with a metal mediated by surface plasmon
polaritons provides for sub-diffraction limited optical confinement and control. While
the relationship of the linear plasmon response to the underlying elementary electronic excitations of the metal is well understood in general, the corresponding
ultrafast and nonlinear plasmon interactions could provide further enhanced functionalities. However, while the ultrafast and nonlinear optics of metals is an advanced
field, the understanding of the related plasmonic properties is less developed. Here
we discuss ultrafast and nonlinear wave-mixing properties of metals and metallic
nanostructures in terms of the elementary optical interactions related to electronic
band structure, plasmon resonances, and geometric selection rules. These properties
form the fundamental basis of the nonlinear plasmonic light-matter interaction. The
understanding of these fundamental properties, together with the ability to measure
and control the typically fast femtosecond intrinsic and extrinsic dephasing times,
is important for the development of applications such as enhanced nano-imaging,
coherent control of individual quantum systems, strong light-matter interaction and
extreme nonlinear optics, and nano-photonic devices.
Keywords Nonlinear optics · Metal optics · Plasmonics · Ultrafast dynamics
7.1 Electronic Excitation at Metal Surfaces: Surface Modes
7.1.1 Introduction
Optical excitations of electrons at metal surfaces play an important role in a wide
range of fundamental and applied science applications. The elementary electronic
M. B. Raschke (B) · S. Berweger · J. M. Atkin
Department of Physics, Department of Chemistry, and JILA, University of Colorado,
Boulder, CO 80302, USA
e-mail: markus.raschke@colorado.edu
T. V. Shahbazyan and M. I. Stockman (eds.), Plasmonics: Theory and Applications,
237
Challenges and Advances in Computational Chemistry and Physics 15,
DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-7805-4_7, © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013
Ultrafast and Nonlinear Plasmon Dynamics
Markus B. Raschke, Samuel Berweger and Joanna M. Atkin
Abstract The interaction of light with a metal mediated by surface plasmon
polaritons provides for sub-diffraction limited optical confinement and control. While
the relationship of the linear plasmon response to the underlying elementary electronic excitations of the metal is well understood in general, the corresponding
ultrafast and nonlinear plasmon interactions could provide further enhanced functionalities. However, while the ultrafast and nonlinear optics of metals is an advanced
field, the understanding of the related plasmonic properties is less developed. Here
we discuss ultrafast and nonlinear wave-mixing properties of metals and metallic
nanostructures in terms of the elementary optical interactions related to electronic
band structure, plasmon resonances, and geometric selection rules. These properties
form the fundamental basis of the nonlinear plasmonic light-matter interaction. The
understanding of these fundamental properties, together with the ability to measure
and control the typically fast femtosecond intrinsic and extrinsic dephasing times,
is important for the development of applications such as enhanced nano-imaging,
coherent control of individual quantum systems, strong light-matter interaction and
extreme nonlinear optics, and nano-photonic devices.
Keywords Nonlinear optics · Metal optics · Plasmonics · Ultrafast dynamics
7.1 Electronic Excitation at Metal Surfaces: Surface Modes
7.1.1 Introduction
Optical excitations of electrons at metal surfaces play an important role in a wide
range of fundamental and applied science applications. The elementary electronic
M. B. Raschke (B) · S. Berweger · J. M. Atkin
Department of Physics, Department of Chemistry, and JILA, University of Colorado,
Boulder, CO 80302, USA
e-mail: markus.raschke@colorado.edu
T. V. Shahbazyan and M. I. Stockman (eds.), Plasmonics: Theory and Applications,
237
Challenges and Advances in Computational Chemistry and Physics 15,
DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-7805-4_7, © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013