Optical and Electron Spectroscopy for Alloy Plasmonics

Emilie Ringe Materials Science and NanoEngineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA Sean Collins Materials Science and Metallurgy, Cambridge University, Cambridge, Cambs, UK Paul Midgley Materials Science and Metallurgy, Cambridge University, Cambridge, Cambs, UK

Interest in nanotechnology is driven by unprecedented means to tailor physical behavior via structure and composition. Most properties, including optical, catalytic, and electronic, can be fine tuned through choice of composition, size, and shape of nanoparticles. Characterization and modeling of such structure-function relationships are crucial to the development of novel applications such as biological sensors and plasmonic devices.

This talk covers recent results on alloy and core-shell nanoparticles, with a focus on experimental advances in optical and electron microscopy aimed at the correlation of local and far-field mapping of the plasmon resonance. In particular, high throughput single particle optical scattering approaches will be discussed, in addition to monochromated electron-energy loss spectroscopy and electron tomography. Results from such approaches on Au/Pd and Au/Ag nanoparticles will be discussed, including new quantitative understanding on the effects of size, composition, and shape on the resonance frequency, field enhancement and distribution, and plasmon decay.

er12@rice.edu