Modulation of Plasmon in Gold Nanoparticle Assemblies

Metal nanoparticles (NPs) have been extensively investigated over the past decade due to their unique properties. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) exhibit stability, good conductance, unique surface chemistry and an intense and tunable plasmon resonance effect. Synthesis and control of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in AuNPs and AuNP assemblies are active problems being investigated by many researchers around the world. Starting with brief discussion on simple strategies to obtain stable AuNP assemblies, I will talk about the use of materials with high dielectric constant (like cuprous oxide) and ions to alter the LSPR in AuNP assemblies. Our research on altering LSPR via dielectric overcoats and ions has yielded some interesting results which are significant from perspective of cloaking, ion sensing and atomic cluster formation.