  We show in this paper that the heat generated by the optical excitation of
resonant plasmonic antennas and diffusing along a simple glass/air interface
disturbs the electron transport of a nearby conductive element. By probing the
temperature-dependent resistance of a gold nanowire $R_{\rm nw}(T)$, we
quantitatively analyze the impact of a resonant absorption of the laser by the
antennas. We find that the temperature rise at the nanowire induced by the
laser absorption of a distant nanoparticle may exceed that of a direct
illumination of the nanowire itself. We also find that a global temperature
calibration underestimates the heat generated locally by the laser. The
temperature deduced from resistance variations are verified by numerical
simulations with a very satisfactory agreement.

Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics;Optics