Plasmonics simulations with the MNPBEM toolbox: Consideration of substrates and layer structures

Abstract Within the MNPBEM toolbox, developed for the simulation of plasmonic nanoparticles using a boundary element method approach, we show how to include substrate and layer structure effects. We develop the methodology for solving Maxwell’s equations using scalar and vector potentials within the inhomogeneous dielectric environment of a layer structure. We show that the implementation of our approach allows for fast and efficient simulations of plasmonic nanoparticles situated on top of substrates or embedded in layer structures. The new toolbox provides a number of demo files which can be also used as templates for other simulations. Program summary Program title: MNPBEM toolbox Catalogue identifier: AEKJ_v3_0 Program summary URL: http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEKJ_v3_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen’s University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: Standard CPC licence, http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/licence/licence.html No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 56958 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 1258497 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: Matlab 8.3.0 (R2014a). Computer: Any which supports Matlab 8.3.0 (R2014a). Operating system: Any which supports Matlab 8.3.0 (R2014a). Has the code been vectorised or parallelized?: Yes RAM: ≥4 Gbyte Classification: 18. Catalogue identifier of previous version: AEKJ_v2_0 Journal reference of previous version: Comput. Phys. Comm. 185 (2014) 1177 Does the new version supersede the previous version?: Yes Nature of problem: Simulation of plasmonic nanoparticles placed on substrates or within layer structures. Solution method: Boundary element method using electromagnetic potentials Reasons for new version: Inclusion of substrate and layer structure effects Summary of revisions: • simulations with layer structures and substrates • simulation control through one options structure • refined boundary element integration • consideration of flat and curved particle boundaries • an improved plot function for particle objects • a new polygon3 class for the extrusion of 2d shapes • a new meshfield class for the computation of electric field maps Running time: Depending on surface discretization between seconds and hours.