This PhD work presents a theoretical, numerical and experimental study of the integration of a gold nanoparticle chain supporting "localized surface plasmon resonances" on a dielectric waveguide. The localized surface plasmon allows a sub-wavelength confinement of light which could lead to the achievement of ultra-compact optical components. However, the high level of optical losses restricts their application to short propagating distances unlike dielectric waveguides. A judicious combination of both types of guides should therefore allow taking profit of their respective advantages. Firstly, we have theoretically studied the properties of nanoparticles chains using an analytical model that we have developed following the coupled dipoles approximation. This has helped us to determine the shape and size of nanoparticles, which have been further used in a FDTD software, to simulate the coupling between the chain and the dielectric waveguide (SOI or Si3N4). Using this numerical study, we have deduced the geometries of structures to be fabricated. The realized structures have been characterized using a spectrally resolved transmission set-up, built during this thesis, and an optical near field measurement set-up (collaboration LNIO Troyes). For the first time, we have experimentally shown the properties of short nanoparticle chains integrated on a SOI waveguide as well as the existence of a coupled waveguide phenomenon between long nanoparticle chains and SOI waveguides. A record value has been obtained for the coupling constant at telecom wavelengths (near infrared). The light energy carried by the TE mode of the SOI waveguide can be completely transferred into the plasmonic waveguide via the first 4 or 5 nanoparticles of the chain, which means a distance of less than 600 nm. We have also studied the properties of Bragg gratings based on localized surface plasmon. Experimental results from spectrally resolved transmission measurements have been compared to theoretical results obtained from an analytical model based on the point dipole approximation in quasi-static regime, on one hand, and using the coupled mode theory, on the other hand. This work opens the way for applications to optical tweezers, sensors or spasers, which will benefit from the integration of metal nanoparticles in photonic circuits.
