Plasmonic coupling between nanostructures: from periodic rigid systems to random flexible devices

In this chapter, the mechanism of plasmonic coupling of the nearfields that takes place when nanostructures are very close to each other is described. After a theoretical introduction illustrating the main physical principles governing plasmonic coupling, several experimental systems are considered. Interestingly, experimental results show that both periodic and rigid, random, and flexible systems of gold nanoparticles exhibit a universal scaling behavior and verify the plasmonic ruler equation.