An electro-magnetic radiation detector is described. The electro-magnetic radiation detector includes a detector material and a voltage biasing element. The detector material includes a substantially regular array of nano-particles embedded in a matrix material. The voltage biasing element is configured to apply a bias voltage to the matrix material such that electrical current is directly generated based on a cooperative plasmon effect in the detector material when electro-magnetic radiation in a predetermined wavelength range is incident upon the detector material, where the dominant mechanism for decay in the cooperative plasmon effect is non-radiative.