From plasmonic nanoantennas to split-ring resonators: tuning scattering strength

Evolution of the absorption and scattering cross sections, quality-factor (Q-factor), and field enhancement of three-dimensional retardation-based plasmonic resonators being transformed from straight gold nanorod antennas to split-ring resonators by bending is considered. The optical resonances are confirmed to be of plasmonic origin and are specifically shown to be related to the formation of standing waves of short-range surface plasmon polaritons supported by straight and bent nanorods. We verify that by bending nanoantennas it is possible to reduce and ultimately, in the split-ring resonator limit, practically eliminate their scattering at the fundamental resonance, resulting in a substantial increase in the corresponding Q-factors. The decrease in scattering by bending is connected with the attenuation of the electric-dipole response in favor of a magnetic-dipole one, leading to Q-factors exceeding the quasi-static limit by a factor of similar to 1.7. Simultaneously, the structures exhibit local field enhancements of >50. (C) 2010 Optical Society of America