This investigation focuses on the linear optical properties of two classes of Gold-nanostructures: monolayers of colloidal Gold and co-sputtered Gold Silicon-dioxide composites varying in concentration through the percolation threshold. These materials may be called mixed-dimensional because while each inclusion is three-dimensional, the ensemble of particles is confined to two dimensions by the architecture of the host matrix. Gold monolayers were prepared via adsorption of colloidal gold onto the surface of a dielectric medium to form a material that shows particle coupling only in one plane. Additionally, Gold Silicon-dioxide composites were prepared by sputtering, to produce thicker materials where particle-particle interactions within the Lorentz-sphere were relatively isotropic, yet the anisotropy outside the Lorentz-sphere remained significant. It is demonstrated that three-dimensional Effective Medium Theories are not adequate for describing these systems, and that the anisotropic nature of these materials must be considered. These composite films have high potential for various opto-electronic applications.
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