Metamaterials (from the Greek word μετά meta, meaning "beyond") are materials engineered to have a property that is not found in naturally occurring materials. They are made from assemblies of multiple elements fashioned from composite materials such as metals or plastics.

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Thermo-Plasmonics is one of the most emerging research fields of the recent years. Based on the use of noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) to control temperature at the nanoscale, it exploits the phenomenon of localized plasmon resonance (LPR), which occurs when the conduction electrons of NPs oscillate in resonance with the electric field of an impinging light, producing a photo-induced heating process in the entire nanostructure.

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The active control of the localized plasmonic response at the nanoscale results in the modification of properties at the macroscale. Active Plasmonics comprises a wide scenario of possibilities depending on the utilized key stimulus which can range from electric or optical fields to temperature variations and applied mechanical strains. Application wise, Active Plasmonics result in smart photonics, biomedical sensors and physical security tags to name a few.

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Applications based on soft-matter are highly versatile for their intrinsic tunability. Responsivity of soft matter typically depends on its “soft” character that naturally permits self-organization and reconfiguration of its constituents upon externally applied stimuli. Myriads of soft matter solutions actually enrich our lifestyle.

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Work in progress