Controlling plasmon propagation and enhancement via reducing agent in wet chemistry synthesized silver nanowires

Abstract

Silver nanowires with varying diameters and submillimeter lengths were obtained by changing a reducing agent used during hydrothermal synthesis. The control over the nanowire diameter turns out to play a critical role in determining their plasmonic properties, including fluorescence enhancement and surface plasmon polariton propagation. Advanced fluorescence imaging of hybrid nanostructures assembled of silver nanowires and photoactive proteins indicates longer propagation lengths for nanowires featuring larger diameters. At the same time, with increasing diameter of the nanowires, we measure a substantial reduction of fluorescence enhancement. The results point at possible ways to control the influence of plasmon excitations in silver nanowires by tuning their morphology.

Silver Nanowires (AgNWs) Post-Treatment Effect in Application of Flexible Transparent and Conductive Electrodes: A Mini Review

“…Larger diameter nanowires have longer propagation lengths, according to research using developed fluorescence microscopy on hybrid nanostructures consisting of AgNWS and photoactive proteins. The fluorescence enhancement also sharply declines as the diameter of the nanowires grows [20]. Simple description of wet chemical method shown in Figure 1(c).…”