Composite nanoparticle nanoslit arrays: a novel platform for LSPR mediated subwavelength optical transmission

Near infrared transmission of light through subwavelength slit arrays is shown to be significantly influenced by resonant metallic nanoparticles placed within the structure. Experimental and calculated transmission spectra show how the size, orientation of the nanoparticles, and the period of the nanoslit array influence the maximum transmission wavelength, the magnitude of the transmission, and width of the resonance. These findings suggest that the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of metallic nanoparticles and their subsequent near and far-field interactions can modulate the subwavelength transmission and bandwidth of nanoaperture array devices in optically thick metal films.