Optical spectroscopy and energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy of surface plasmons in core-shell nanoparticles

Alexander S. Eggeman*, Peter J. Dobson, Amanda K. Petford-Long

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

19 Scopus citations

Abstract

Silica-silver core-shell nanoparticles were produced using colloidal chemistry methods. Surface plasmon resonances in the silver shells were investigated using optical absorption measurements in ultraviolet-to-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy and the effect of shell thickness on the wavelength of the resonance was noted. Further studies of the resonances were performed using electron-energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) and energy-filtered transmission electron microscope (EFTEM) imaging. The plasmon resonance was seen in an EELS spectrum at an energy corresponding to the wavelengths measured in an UV-vis spectrophotometer, and EFTEM images confirmed that the resonance was indeed localized at the surface of the silver shell. Further features were seen in the EELS spectrum and confirmed as bulk-plasmon features of silica and the carbon support film in the TEM specimen.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number024307
JournalJournal of Applied Physics
Volume101
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2007

Funding

The authors would like to thank R. Nicholls, C. Hetherington, D. Kirk, and S. Haigh for assistance in the use of EELS and EFTEM. This project was supported by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and Johnson-Matthey. Argonne National Laboratory is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Basic Energy Sciences-Materials Sciences, under Contract No. W-31-109-ENG-38.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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