Conductive polymer nanoantennas for dynamic organic plasmonics

Being able to dynamically shape light at the nanoscale is one of the ultimate goals in nano-optics1. Resonant light–matter interaction can be achieved using conventional plasmonics based on metal nanostructures, but their tunability is highly limited due to a fixed permittivity2. Materials with switchable states and methods for dynamic control of light–matter interaction at the nanoscale are therefore desired. Here we show that nanodisks of a conductive polymer can support localized surface plasmon resonances in the near-infrared and function as dynamic nano-optical antennas, with their resonance behaviour tunable by chemical redox reactions. These plasmons originate from the mobile polaronic charge carriers of a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene:sulfate) (PEDOT:Sulf) polymer network. We demonstrate complete and reversible switching of the optical response of the nanoantennas by chemical tuning of their redox state, which modulates the material permittivity between plasmonic and dielectric regimes via non-volatile changes in the mobile charge carrier density. Further research may study different conductive polymers and nanostructures and explore their use in various applications, such as dynamic meta-optics and reflective displays. PEDOT nanodisks show near-infrared plasmonic resonances that can be reversibly switched by chemical redox reactions.