Nonlocal Response in Plasmonic Nanostructures

Abstract

After a brief overview of nanoplasmonics experiments that defy explanation with classical electrodynamics, we introduce nonlocal response as a main reason for non-classical effects. This concept is first introduced phenomenologically, and afterwards based on the semi-classical hydrodynamic Drude model (HDM) that indeed exhibits nonlocal response. In particular, we discuss recent generalizations and extensions of the HDM, to include both convection and diffusion dynamics of the induced charges. This generalized nonlocal optical response (GNOR) model allows for the first time unified semi-classical explanations of known experimental phenomena for both monomers and dimers that previously seemed to require microscopic theory. Finally, we turn to Landau damping and discuss the microscopic origin of the size-dependent damping captured by the classical diffusion mechanism in the GNOR model.