Tuning the optical response of nanocylinder arrays:: An analytical study

An analytical study of the optical properties of nanocylinder arrays is presented. The conditions to tune the absorption/thermal emission and extinction resonances of such systems are derived. We predict two kinds of resonances. Close to the Rayleigh anomalies, the array can generate quasimonochromatic and highly directional thermal emission/absorption. Isotropic emission/absorption can also be obtained when the material exhibits an absorption line or in the presence of localized surface plasmon/polaritons. For s polarization our analysis predicts a theoretical limit of 50% of absorption. Interestingly, for p-polarized light, a nanocylinder array can present perfect (100%) absorption.