Thermal instability in plasmonics

Abstract

The quantum-mechanical and thermal phenomena in the plasmonic nanoparticle and resonator are investigated. We develop quantum plasmonics by quantizing the collective electron motion in the surface plasmon. The operator of the electric field inside the metal nanoparticle is found. Thus obtained quantum electric field is anomalous large even for few plasmon quanta. The strong electric field, which value is comparable with the atomic field, results in huge electric current and overheating the metal nanoparticle when it operates as a resonator for the plasmon laser (SPASER). It is shown the overheating thermal instability can explode the particle.