Abstract

We will review recent results on the study of plasmonic collective electron excitations in systems of low dimensionality, including small metallic nanoparticles, graphene, and simple molecules. In particular, we will show that plasmons in graphene can be used to achieve electrical modulation of light in a robust, solid-state environment [1]. Plasmons in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [2], which can be regarded as small versions of graphene, will be also shown to exhibit remarkable tunability and strong plasmonic response, thus revealing their interest in the new field of molecular plasmonics. Quantum effects in these systems, ranging from nonlocality [3] to the discreteness of the electronic transitions involved [4], will be shown to lead to exciting new physics and a wealth of potential applications.

© 2014 Optical Society of America