Metallic Nanoshells with Semiconductor Cores: Optical Characteristics Modified by Core Medium Properties

Abstract

It is well-known that the geometry of a nanoshell controls the resonance frequencies of its plasmon modes; however, the properties of the core material also strongly influence its optical properties. Here we report the synthesis of Au nanoshells with semiconductor cores of cuprous oxide and examine their optical characteristics. This material system allows us to systematically examine the role of core material on nanoshell optical properties, comparing Cu(2)O core nanoshells (ε(c) ∼ 7) to lower core dielectric constant SiO(2) core nanoshells (ε(c) = 2) and higher dielectric constant mixed valency iron oxide nanoshells (ε(c) = 12). Increasing the core dielectric constant increases nanoparticle absorption efficiency, reduces plasmon line width, and modifies plasmon energies. Modifying the core medium provides an additional means of tailoring both the near- and far-field optical properties in this unique nanoparticle system.

Facile Synthesis of Highly Efficient One-Dimensional Plasmonic Photocatalysts through Ag@Cu2O Core–Shell Heteronanowires

“…38,47,48 Upon the formation of Cu 2 O shell, the transverse plasmon resonance of the Ag core is significantly red-shifted from 385 nm to 515 nm, due to the higher refractive index of Cu 2 O (~2.7 at wavelengths above 600 nm) 43,[52][53] than ethanol (~1.359) 27,38 and its high dielectric constant (e=7.2). 43,52,54 Their broad absorbance from visible to UV window is crucial for full use of sunlight.…”

Optical forces between coupled plasmonic nanoparticles near metal surfaces and negative index material waveguides

“…associated with the SLMs (at ω 0 , see Fig. 6); practically, such tuning may be achieved, e.g., by using nano-shell structures 62 . Additionally, we reduce the NP damping rate to γ = 11 meV to examine the SLM features which would otherwise be obscured.…”

Investigation of Fano Resonances Induced by Higher Order Plasmon Modes on a Circular Nano-Disk With an Elongated Cavity

“…The cavity is filled with silica (refractive index n = 1.5) and as expected due to change in the optical path length of the resonance and demonstrated by the extinction CS spectrum provided in Fig. 4(a), resonances of D 2 and Q 1 red shift [47]. Additionally, Fig.…”