Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: The optical response of metal nanoparticles is governed by plasmonic resonances, which are dictated by the particle morphology. A thorough understanding of the link between morphology and optical response requires quantitatively measuring optical and structural properties of the same particle. Here we present such a study, correlating electron tomography and optical micro-spectroscopy. The optical measurements determine the scattering and absorption cross-section spectra in absolute units, and electron tomography determines the 3D morphology. Numerical simulations of the spectra for the individual particle geometry, and the specific optical set-up used, allow for a quantitative comparison including the cross-section magnitude. Silver nanoparticles produced by photochemically driven colloidal synthesis, including decahedra, tetrahedra and bi-tetrahedra are investigated. A mismatch of measured and simulated spectra is found in some cases when assuming pure silver particles, which is explained by the presence of a few atomic layers of tarnish on the surface, not evident in electron tomography. The presented method tightens the link between particle morphology and optical response, supporting the predictive design of plasmonic nanomaterials.
Source: Nanoscale
DOI: 10.1039/d2nr02131e
Institutions: Cardiff University, Politecnico di Milano, University of Antwerp
Language: English
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Awards: Correlating the 3D atomic structure of metal anisotropic nanoparticles with their optical properties, G2074994420, G2561383389, Application of resonant-state expansion to inhomogeneous and non-spherical optical resonators, G434337789, Novel plasmonic nanoparticles for applications in quantitative biosensing and bioimaging, Correlating the 3D atomic structure of metal anisotropic nanoparticles with their optical properties, DTP 2018-19 Cardiff University, G6859032698, Shedding new light on cells with coherent multiphoton nanoscopy, G7358480839, Cardiff University Experimental Equipment
OpenAlex ID: W4224951257