Nonclassical optical response of particle plasmons with quantum informed local optics

Abstract: As the dimensions of plasmonic structures or the field confinement length approach the mean free path of electrons, mesoscopic optical response effects, including nonlocality, electron density spill-in or spill-out, and Landau damping, are expected to become observable. In this work, we present a quantum-informed local analogue model (QILAM) that maps these nonclassical optical responses onto a local dielectric film. The primary advantage of this model lies in its compatibility with the highly efficient boundary element method (BEM), which includes retardation effects and eliminates the need to incorporate wavevector-dependent permittivity. Furthermore, our approach offers a unified framework that connects two important semiclassical theories: the generalized nonlocal optical response (GNOR) theory and the Feibelman d-parameters formalism. We envision that QILAM could evolve into a multiscale electrodynamic tool for exploring nonclassical optical responses in diverse plasmonic structures in future. This could be achieved by directly translating mesoscopic effects into observable phenomena, such as resonance energy shifts and linewidth broadening in the scattering spectrum.