Nanoparticle on mirror plasmonic nanostructure for molecular cavity optomechanics

The plasmonic response of gold can be utilized to enhance the incident electromagnetic (EM) field by several orders of magnitude. When a gold nanoparticle is placed in close proximity to a gold film, the incident field can excite a deeply confined plasmon, strongly enhancing the Raman interaction with molecules placed within the gap. Recent theoretical predictions suggest the suitability of such arrangements to optically amplify the internal vibrations of molecules. This paper presents the fabrication and characterization of such plasmonic nanocavities.