Plasmonic networks based on metallic nanowires

In this paper we demonstrate direct excitation of propagating plasmons in silver nanowires. The plasmons are excited either directly by an infrared excitation or indirectly via up-conversion process in rare-earth doped nanocrystals placed in the vicinity of the silver nanowires. In order to map propagating plasmons in silver nanowires, we designed an experimental setup which enables precise, diffraction-limited focusing of the laser, while at the same time both wide-field and confocal imaging of fluorescence.