The facile preparation of arrays of plasmonic nanoparticles over a square centimeter surface area is reported. The developed method relies on tailored laser interference lithography (LIL) that is combined with dry etching and it offers means for the rapid fabrication of periodic arrays of metallic nanostructures with well controlled morphology. Adjusting the parameters of the LIL process allows for the preparation of arrays of nanoparticles with a diameter below hundred nanometers independently of their lattice spacing. Gold nanoparticle arrays were precisely engineered to support localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) with different damping at desired wavelengths in the visible and near infrared part of the spectrum. The applicability of these substrates for surface enhanced Raman scattering is demonstrated where cost-effective, uniform and reproducible substrates are of paramount importance. The role of deviations in the spectral position and the width of the LSPR band affected by slight variations of plasmonic nanostructures is discussed.
New fluorescent molecular liquids with a tetrazine core have been prepared. These compounds remain liquid at least down to -60 °C and display very low viscosities (28 mPa.s for liquid 1, 58 mPa.s for liquid 2). Both compounds remain fluorescent in the condensed phase. For liquid 1, intermolecular quenching is observed to a certain extent, whereas liquid 2 displays similar photophysical properties in dilute solution and in neat film.
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