Gap-plasmon nanoantennas and bowtie resonators

Plasmonic bowtie resonators involving gap surface plasmons (GSPs) in metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structures, in which only the top metal layer is structured, are investigated using numerical simulations. We demonstrate that the considered configuration features two efficiently excitable GSP resonances associated with distinct charge distributions with the domination of the dipole and quadrupole moments resulting in low- and high-Q resonances, respectively. The typical Q factors for the high-Q resonances are shown to achieve ~25 in the near-infrared, thus potentially exceeding the quasistatic limit. Detailed physical interpretations of the obtained results and consistent dependencies of the resonance characteristics on the geometrical structural parameters are presented. Excellent resonant characteristics, the simplicity of fabrication, and tuning of the resonance wavelength by adjusting the size of the bowtie arms, separation between them, and/or thickness of the insulator (SiO2) layer in the MIM structure appear attractive for a wide variety of applications, ranging from surface sensing to photovoltaics.