Abstract
► We have measured the second harmonic response from arrays of gold nanocylinders. ► The SH response is incoherent in the transmission geometry. ► It results from the breaking of the centrosymmetry of the shape of the nanocylinders. ► No effect from the geometrical arrangement of the nanocylinders is observed.
The vertically and horizontally polarized second harmonic responses from arrays of gold metallic nanocylinders with different two-dimensional spatial organization, namely square, hexagonal and random arrangements, have been determined in transmission as a function of the input fundamental polarization angle. The results demonstrate that the second harmonic response is incoherent, resulting from the breaking of the centrosymmetry of the shape of the nanocylinders by surface defects. As a result, no effect from the geometrical arrangement of the nanocylinders on the substrate is observed.