From classical to quantum kisses between optical nanoantennas

Abstract

A review of the recent capabilities of strongly-coupled optical gap-nanoantennas as building blocks to provide near-field coherent control, ultrafast all-optical switching and addressing high-frequency transport, among others, will be provided. As separation distances between metallic nanoantennas reach subnanometric dimensions, strong nonlocal effects are triggered out and coherent electron tunneling between the nanoantenna blocks is produced. A quantum-corrected model revealing the quantum regime in tunneling plasmonics is described.