Creating high density nanoantenna arrays via plasmon enhanced particle-cavity (PEP-C) architectures

We propose a new solution for high hot-spot density creation by coupling a particle and a cavity in a structure dubbed a plasmonic enhanced particle-cavity (PEP-C) antenna. In comparison to analogous particle-based dimer antenna structures, the PEP-C allows both a higher maximum field and an order-of-magnitude higher hot-spot density. In addition, the hot-spots of the PEP-C antenna can be precisely controlled, resulting in increased reliability. We elucidate the photonic characteristics of the PEP-C antenna and show tuning and optimization through choice of geometric parameters. These properties make the PEP-C antenna an excellent candidate for plasmonic-based biomolecular sensors.