A review on design, development and characterization of plasmonic nano-antenna for photonic applications

Abstract This article provides an overview of plasmonic nano-antennas for photonic applications. This paper delves into the theoretical analysis of nano/optical antennas, including optical antenna impedance, near and far field characteristics, and directivity. The materials used for manufacturing optical antennas are discussed in the context of terahertz communication. The comparative analysis of different types of fabrication techniques on the nanoscale is presented as a requirement for the implementation of nano-antennas. The testing mechanism of the nano-antenna using microscopy techniques is also presented. A detailed review of the different shapes of the nano-antennas that are used for applications in the field of photonics is discussed. According to this review article, graphene, gold, and silver are the most promising materials. It is also noticed that pen-dip and direct growth are fast and inexpensive techniques for nano-antenna fabrication.