A mathematical model of honey bee colony dynamics to predict the effect of pollen on colony failure.

The decline in colony populations of the honey bee, known as the Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), is a global concern. Numerous studies have reported possible causes, including pesticides, parasites, and nutritional stress. Poor nutrition affects the immune system at both the individual and colony level, amplifying effects of other stress factors.

Nonlinear Refractory Plasmonics with Titanium Nitride Nanoantennas.

Titanium nitride (TiN) is a novel refractory plasmonic material which can sustain high temperatures and exhibits large optical nonlinearities, potentially opening the door for high-power nonlinear plasmonic applications. We fabricate TiN nanoantenna arrays with plasmonic resonances tunable in the range of about 950-1050 nm by changing the antenna length. We present second-harmonic (SH) spectroscopy of TiN nanoantenna arrays, which is analyzed using a nonlinear oscillator model with a wavelength-dependent second-order response from the material itself.

Babinet to the half: coupling of solid and inverse plasmonic structures.

We study the coupling between the plasmonic resonances of solid and inverse metallic nanostructures. While the coupling between solid-solid and inverse-inverse plasmonic structures is well-understood, mixed solid-inverse systems have not yet been studied in detail. In particular, it remains unclear whether or not an efficient coupling is even possible and which prerequisites have to be met.