Contemporary Nonlinear Plasmonics

Dear Colleagues,

Nonlinear plasmonics is a rapidly growing field that combines the principles of nonlinear optics and plasmonics to create new and advanced photonic applications. The field focuses on the study of nonlinear interactions between light and matter at the nanoscale in metal-dielectric or, more recently, in graphene–dielectric interfaces which support surface plasmon polaritons. Nonlinear plasmonics offer a new paradigm for the control of light at the nanoscale, enabling the development of compact and efficient photonic devices with numerous applications.

The main advantage of plasmonics circuits is the ability to guide light on a smaller scale than the diffraction limit, which is a well-known restriction of traditional optical devices. This increased optical confinement that plasmonics offer significantly enhances the light–matter interaction, especially nonlinear effects. Two-dimensional materials are also very well suited in plasmonic circuits, where the surface plasmon polariton modes can offer increased interaction lengths. Thus, the combination of nonlinear optics and plasmonics opens new opportunities for the creation of novel optical devices with unique functionalities, such as high-efficiency frequency converters in the visible, infrared, or even THz regimes; all-optical switches; nanoscale lasers; and bio-sensors.

Despite the progress made in the field in recent years, there are still important challenges to overcome—the most prominent being the high ohmic losses and heat generation of plasmonic circuits. However, the potential of nonlinear plasmonics is still large and the field is expected to continue growing and evolving, thus leading to new breakthroughs and innovations in the broader field of photonics. The goal of this Special Issue is to present the current progress in nonlinear plasmonics (both in integrate and free-space systems), highlight possible barriers, and propose alternatives to overcome them. All papers are welcome, from theoretical and numerical works to experimental demonstrations.

Dr. Thomas Christopoulos
Dr. Dimitrios Chatzidimitriou
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Photonics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• plamonics
• nonlinear plasmonics
• 2D materials
• nonlinear interactions