Optimal control of electromagnetic field using metallic nanoclusters

TL;DR

This paper explores how metallic nanoclusters' dielectric properties influence electromagnetic fields, enabling the design of tunable, sub-wavelength lenses with quantum-controlled switching capabilities.

Contribution

It introduces a non-local linear response theory for metallic nanoclusters and demonstrates their use in designing frequency-controlled, sub-wavelength optical devices.

Findings

Induced field and charge distribution depend on cluster separation and frequency.

Quantum effects enable custom design of tunable optical components.

Genetic algorithms optimize nanocluster configurations for specific functionalities.

Abstract

The dielectric properties of metallic nanoclusters in the presence of an applied electromagnetic field are investigated using non-local linear response theory. In the quantum limit we find a non-trivial dependence of the induced field and charge distribution on the spatial separation between the clusters and on the frequency of the driving field. Using a genetic algorithm, these quantum functionalities are exploited to custom-design sub-wavelength lenses with a frequency controlled switching capability.