Strong localized enhancement of second harmonic generation from nonlinear molecules on granular gold structures probed by two-photon microscopy

Summary form only given. We present SHG mapping measurements on granular gold substrates at a sub-microscopic scale using two photon excitation microscopy combined with spectral and polarization information. The main result of this work is the use of size-resonant local field hot spots in order to enhance the optical response of nonlinear chromophores in close contact with such structures. The molecules have been deposited using the Langmuir-Blodgett technique on gold fractal supporting layers fabricated from metal evaporation under high vacuum.