Metal -dielectric composite plasmonic films and their applications

The interaction of light with nanostructured metal leads to a number of fascinating phenomena, including plasmon oscillations that can be harnessed for a variety of cutting-edge applications. Plasmon oscillation modes are the collective oscillation of free electrons in metals under incident light. Surface plasmon modes have been used for communication, sensing, nonlinear optics and novel physics studies. A variety of plasmonic structures, from random 2D metal-dielectric films to 3D composite metal-dielectric films, have been studied in my research for applications such as surface-enhanced Raman sensing, tunable superlenses with resolutions beyond the diffraction limit, enhanced molecular absorption, and others. In this work I have described the scientific research completed on metal-dielectric films during my doctoral program. These efforts include the fabrication, characterization, and simulation of various kinds of random metal-dielectric samples. Certain modifications to existing fabrication equipment were necessary to accomplish the goals of my research. Therefore, completing these modifications was a significant effort in my doctoral research. Hence, I have included in my research results the applicable information on these modifications and the proper use of the upgraded fabrication equipment. Finally, I have discussed a few of the predicted and demonstrated applications of my research results in areas such as biosensing, infrared obscurants, and superlensing