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We present a theoretical study of the optical response of a semiconductor quantum dot (SQD) located in a close proximity to a metallic nanoparticle (MNP), both strongly interacting with each other. We demonstrate that the interplay between the SQD nonlinearity and its self-action, due to the presence of the MNP, can result in a bistable behavior of the heterodimer optical response, revealing optical hysteresis, discontinuity and a Fano-shape of the SQD-MNP absorption spectra. We also discuss the switching time between the stable state of the nano-heterodimer. |