Nonlocal effects in double fishnet metasurfaces nanostructured at deep subwavelength level as a path toward simultaneous sensing of multiple chemical analytes

Abstract

Nanoplasmonic devices are among the most sensitive chemical sensors, with sensitivities reaching the single-molecule level. An especially convenient class of such sensors is that based on metasurfaces with subwavelength nanoholes, examples being extraordinary optical transmission arrays and double fishnet structures. Such structures ensure operation both in transmission and reflection mode and ensure high sensitivities and excellent coupling with external readout. In this paper we consider the possibility to tailor the response of aperture-based sensor structures by modifying the geometry of nanoholes at the deep subwavelength level through ensuring controlled use of nonlocal effects. We investigate the case where nonlocality is achieved by modifying the basic metamaterial fishnet structure (a metal-dielectric-metal sandwich with rectangular openings) by superposing additional subwavelength patterns, ensuring the appearance of new optical modes. The obtained unit cell superstructure will have multiple tailorable spectral peaks that will increase the selectivity at different wavelengths. The finite elements method was used for simulations of the proposed structures. As an example, we applied our results to the case of a benzene sensor, showing that its spectral properties and selectivity can be tuned by modifying geometry at a deep subwavelength scale. The obtained custom-designed spectral selectivity is convenient for multianalyte chemical sensing using a single structure.