Collection and Concentration of Light by Touching Spheres: A Transformation Optics Approach

A general three-dimensional transformation optics approach is presented that yields analytical expressions for the relevant electromagnetic magnitudes in plasmonic phenomena at singular geometries. This powerful theoretical tool reveals the broadband response and superfocusing properties of touching metal nanospheres and provides an elegant physical description of the prominent field enhancement that takes place at the point of contact between a spherical nanoparticle and a flat metallic surface.