A voltage-controlled plasmonic tunable optical filter (12;14;16;70;80;90;102;104;106;140;143;146) comprising: a shortwave pass plasmonic filter (12-S;14-S;16-S;50;76;96;140S;143S;146S) defined as exhibiting a cut-off wavelength λ S; and characterized in that: the voltage-controlled plasmonic tunable optical filter further comprises: a longwave pass plasmonic filter (12-L;14-L;16-L;50;72;92;140L;143L;146L) disposed in optical series with the SWP plasmonic filter, the LWP plasmonic filter defined as exhibiting a cut-on wavelength λ L, with λ L less than λ S; wherein both of the SWP filter and the LWP filter exhibits voltage-controlled spectral responses such that the series combination of the SWP and LWP plasmonic filters creates a tunable optical filter defined by the wavelength range between the cut-on wavelength λ L and the cut-off wavelength λ S, providing a tunable center wavelength and an independently tunable bandwidth, depending on the selected values for λ L and λ S; wherein each plasmonic filter comprises a plurality of voltage-controlled transparent, conductive strips (56;84-1;84-2) disposed above and insulated from a layer of transparent, conductive material, such that the adjustment of a voltage applied to the transparent, conductive strips adjusts the spectral response of the associated plasmonic filter; wherein the SWP plasmonic filter is formed to exhibit a voltage-controlled spectral response such that the cut-off wavelength λ S is tunable by adjusting a voltage applied thereto; and wherein the LWP plasmonic filter is formed to exhibit a voltage-controlled spectral response such that the cut-on wavelength λ L is tunable by adjusting a voltage applied thereto. a shortwave pass plasmonic filter (12-S;14-S;16-S;50;76;96;140S;143S;146S) defined as exhibiting a cut-off wavelength λ S; and characterized in that: the voltage-controlled plasmonic tunable optical filter further comprises: a longwave pass plasmonic filter (12-L;14-L;16-L;50;72;92;140L;143L;146L) disposed in optical series with the SWP plasmonic filter, the LWP plasmonic filter defined as exhibiting a cut-on wavelength λ L, with λ L less than λ S; wherein both of the SWP filter and the LWP filter exhibits voltage-controlled spectral responses such that the series combination of the SWP and LWP plasmonic filters creates a tunable optical filter defined by the wavelength range between the cut-on wavelength λ L and the cut-off wavelength λ S, providing a tunable center wavelength and an independently tunable bandwidth, depending on the selected values for λ L and λ S; wherein each plasmonic filter comprises a plurality of voltage-controlled transparent, conductive strips (56;84-1;84-2) disposed above and insulated from a layer of transparent, conductive material, such that the adjustment of a voltage applied to the transparent, conductive strips adjusts the spectral response of the associated plasmonic filter; wherein the SWP plasmonic filter is formed to exhibit a voltage-controlled spectral response such that the cut-off wavelength λ S is tunable by adjusting a voltage applied thereto; and wherein the LWP plasmonic filter is formed to exhibit a voltage-controlled spectral response such that the cut-on wavelength λ L is tunable by adjusting a voltage applied thereto. a longwave pass plasmonic filter (12-L;14-L;16-L;50;72;92;140L;143L;146L) disposed in optical series with the SWP plasmonic filter, the LWP plasmonic filter defined as exhibiting a cut-on wavelength λ L, with λ L less than λ S; wherein both of the SWP filter and the LWP filter exhibits voltage-controlled spectral responses such that the series combination of the SWP and LWP plasmonic filters creates a tunable optical filter defined by the wavelength range between the cut-on wavelength λ L and the cut-off wavelength λ S, providing a tunable center wavelength and an independently tunable bandwidth, depending on the selected values for λ L and λ S; wherein each plasmonic filter comprises a plurality of voltage-controlled transparent, conductive strips (56;84-1;84-2) disposed above and insulated from a layer of transparent, conductive material, such that the adjustment of a voltage applied to the transparent, conductive strips adjusts the spectral response of the associated plasmonic filter; wherein the SWP plasmonic filter is formed to exhibit a voltage-controlled spectral response such that the cut-off wavelength λ S is tunable by adjusting a voltage applied thereto; and wherein the LWP plasmonic filter is formed to exhibit a voltage-controlled spectral response such that the cut-on wavelength λ L is tunable by adjusting a voltage applied thereto.