Production of gold nanoparticles-polymer composite by quite simple method

Recently, production methods of metal nanoparticles have been investigated extensively, not only for a research use in laboratory, but also for an industrial use. However, it is difficult to obtain metal nanoparticles in high amounts and concentrations with simple methods. In this study, a gold nanoparticle-polymer composite was prepared with a simple procedure using a gold salt and a melted polymer. The composite, which is in a wax state at room temperature, was highly soluble in water and lower alcohols, moreover the composite was melted at about 50 ^°C.     

Optical extinction spectroscopy of single silver nanoparticles

The extinction spectrum of single silver nanoparticles with size ranging from 20 to 80 nm is investigated with the spatial modulation spectroscopy technique using either a tunable laser or a white lamp as the broadband source. Results are in good agreement with the prediction of the Mie theory, permitting to extract the nanoparticle size from the measured absolute value of the optical extinction cross-section. In contrast, the deduced refractive index of the nanoparticle environment and the reduction of the electron mean free path show a large dependence on the precise value of the bulk silver dielectric function.     

Selective suppression of extinction within the plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles

We present extinction measurements on rectangular two-dimensional arrays of gold nanoparticles on a dielectric waveguide. The spectra exhibit spectrally narrow bands of suppressed extinction within the particle–plasmon resonance, resulting from destructive interference between the incident light field and the excited waveguide modes. The dependence of the spectral position of these high-transmission bands on different waveguide modes is investigated in detail. Received: 3 July 2001 / Published online: 10 October 2001     

Nanostructures of gold coated iron core-shell nanoparticles and the nanobands assembled under magnetic field

Pure metal iron nanoparticles are unstable in the air. By a coating iron on nanoparticle surface with a stable noble metal, these air-stable nanoparticles are protected from the oxidation and retain most of the favorable magnetic properties, which possess the potential application in high density memory device by forming self-assembling nanoarrays. Gold-coated iron core-shell structure nanoparticles (Fe/Au) synthesized using reverse micelles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The average nanoparticle size of the core-shell structure is about 8 nm, with about 6 nm diameter core and 1∼2 nm shell. Since the gold shell is not epitaxial growth related to the iron core, the morié pattern can be seen from the overlapping of iron core and gold shell. However, the gold shell lattice can be seen by changing the defocus of TEM. An energy dispersive X-ray spectrum (EDS) also shows the nanoparticles are air-stable. The magnetic measurement of the nanoparticles also proved successful synthesis of gold coated iron core-shell structure. The nanoparticles were then assembled under 0.5 T magnetic field and formed parallel nanobands with about 10 μm long. Assembling two dimensional ordered nanoarrays are still under going. Received 29 November 2000     

Optical properties and ultrafast electron dynamics in gold–silver alloy and core–shell nanoparticles

Silver and gold are the two most popular metals used for many nanoparticle applications, such as surface enhanced Raman scattering or surface enhanced fluorescence, in which the local field enhancement associated with the excitation of the localized surface-plasmon–polariton resonance (SPR) is exploited. Therefore, tunability of the SPR over a wide energy range is required. For this purpose we have investigated core–shell nanoparticles composed of gold and silver with different shell thicknesses as well as the impact of alloying on these nanoparticles due to a tempering process. The nanoparticles were prepared by subsequent deposition of Au and Ag atoms or vice versa on quartz substrates followed by diffusion and nucleation. Their linear extinction spectra were measured as a function of shell thickness and annealing temperature. It turned out that different gold shell thicknesses on silver cores allow a tuning of the SPR position from 2.79 to 2.05 eV, but interestingly without a significant change on the extinction amplitude. Heating of core–shell nanoparticles up to only 540 K leads to the formation of alloy nanoparticles, accompanied by a back shift of the SPR to 2.60 eV. Calculations performed in quasi-static approximation describe the experimental results quite well and prove the structural assignments of the samples. In additional experiments, we applied the well-established persistent spectral hole burning technique to the alloy nanoparticles in order to determine the ultrafast dephasing time T ₂. We obtained a dephasing time of T ₂=(8.1±1.6) fs, in good agreement with the dephasing time of T _2,∞=8.9 fs, which is already included in the dielectric function of the bulk.     

Correlation between structure and optoelectronic properties in a two‐dimensional nanoparticle assembly

The optical properties of two‐dimensional assemblies of metal nanoparticles are strongly influenced by the morphological configuration of the metal particles in the layer. Therefore, we correlate the structural and optical properties of two‐dimensional, hexagonal gold nanoparticle arrays. We characterize the structure of the arrays using grazing‐incidence small angle X‐ray scattering (GISAXS). From the GISAXS pattern, we determine the size of the gold particles as well as the lattice spacing of the hexagonal assembly. Based upon these parameters we calculate the dielectric function of the gold particle array using the Maxwell–Garnett effective medium theory. We further deduce the absorption spectrum which closely follows the measured absorption and photoconductance spectrum. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Pure and Sb-doped SnO 2 nanoparticles studied by photoelectron spectroscopy

We describe photoemission results from pure and Sb-doped SnO₂ nanoparticles deposited on gold substrates. Photoelectron spectra with synchrotron radiation were recorded for Sn 3d, Sb 3d and O 1s core levels and valence bands in the 500-1200 eV energy range. For pure SnO₂ nanoparticles the surface is terminated by an oxygen rich layer with no obvious surface environment for Sn. When doped n-type with 9.1% or 16.7% Sb, dopant atoms are concentrated near the surface of the nanoparticles. The valence state of the dopant atoms is predominantly Sb^V. Plasmon satellite features are also observed in core level photoemission spectra and their intensity relative to the main peak increases with increasing photon energy. Received 30 November 2000     

A quantitative modeling of the contributions of localized surface plasmon resonance and interband transitions to absorbance of gold nanoparticles

A quantitative modeling of the contributions of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and interband transitions to absorbance of gold nanoparticles has been achieved based on Lorentz–Drude dispersion function and Maxwell-Garnett effective medium approximation. The contributions are well modeled with three Lorentz oscillators. Influence of the structural properties of the gold nanoparticles on the LSPR and interband transitions has been examined. In addition, the dielectric function of the gold nanoparticles has been extracted from the modeling to absorbance, and it is found to be consistent with the result yielded from the spectroscopic ellipsometric analysis.     

Broadening of resonances in yttrium nanoparticle optical spectra

The dielectric function of yttrium in the range between 0.2 μm and 2 μm is composed of a harmonic oscillator contribution due to a discrete interband transition and the contribution of free electrons. Hence, it is possible to discuss surface plasmon polaritons as well as other electronic resonances in the optical extinction spectra of yttrium nanoparticles. For the latter, we discuss the broadening of the resonance caused by the aggregation of particles. When particles are lumped into aggregates, the color of the particle system also changes. Aggregation also affects the surface plasmon resonance in yttrium nanoparticles in a way comparable to silver or gold nanoparticle aggregates. Comparison is made with the first experimental results on yttriumnanoparticles, showing that aggregation is the dominant effect for the broad resonance in the measured extinction spectra. Received: 2 July 2001 / Revised version: 10 September 2001 / Published online: 15 October 2001     

基于富勒烯C60结构体系的金纳米粒子合成物光学非线性研究

使用532nm,8ns激光脉冲研究了两种新型的基于富勒烯C₆₀结构体系的金纳米粒子合成物的光学非线性.Z-scan实验结果和理论分析的比较表明,材料的非线性吸收强烈地依赖于材料中的配合体,而非线性折射主要来自金纳米粒子的贡献.而且与熟知的C₆₀甲苯溶液光限幅特性作了比较,分析了光限幅机理. 关键词： 60结构体系')" href="#">基于富勒烯C₆₀结构体系 金纳米粒子 等离子体 光限幅     

金纳米旋转椭球的折射率传感特性分析与优化

对于金纳米颗粒在化学和生物传感中的应用,找到具有高品质因子的金纳米颗粒形状是近年来的研究热点。基于T矩阵方法和介电函数的尺寸修正模型,本文从理论上定量研究了金纳米旋转椭球的尺寸对其折射率灵敏度、半峰宽以及品质因子的影响。为了获得最佳传感性能,对品质因子进行了优化,并得到了最优的颗粒尺寸参数。结果发现,短半轴为11 nm和长半轴为49 nm的金纳米旋转椭球具有最大品质因子6.76。优化后的金纳米旋转椭球可以作为理想的化学和生物传感器。本研究为金纳米旋转椭球在化学和生物传感的应用中提供重要的理论依据。     

Optical extinction for determining the size distribution of gold nanoparticles fabricated by ultra-short pulsed laser ablation

This work presents a method, based on measurements of the optical extinction spectra, to determine the size of spherical gold nanoparticles produced using the femtosecond laser ablation process in deionized water. By using an improved theoretical model that modifies the contribution of the free electrons to the dielectric function introducing a size-dependent term, it is possible to fit the full experimental extinction spectrum considering a certain size distribution. Additionally, in order to obtain complementary measurements of the size distribution, TEM analysis was performed. The results obtained showed that the predominant nanoparticle size distribution ranges from 1 to 11 nm in terms of radii. An optical extinction measurement together with an appropriate theoretical model based on Mie’s theory represents a simple, low-cost, fast and easy method to describe a multimodal size distribution of spherical gold nanoparticles.     

Anisotropically DNA-functionalized nanoparticle dimers

Self-assembly of complex, non-periodic nanostructures can only be achieved by using anisotropic building-blocks. The building blocks need to have at least four bonds pointing in separate directions [J. Comput. Theor. Nanosci. 3, 391 (2006)]. We have previously presented a method for the synthesis of such building-blocks using DNA-functionalized gold nanoparticles. Here, we report on the progress in the experimental realization of this scheme. The first goal, in a process to make programmable self-assembly building-blocks using nanoparticles, is the production of dimers with different DNA-functions on the two component particles. We report on the fabrication of anisotropically functionalized dimers of nanoparticles of two different sizes. As a result of their anisotropy, these demonstrator building blocks can be made to assemble into spherical structures.     

Optical properties of gold metal clusters: A time-dependent local-density-approximation investigation

The optical response of free and matrix-embedded gold metal clusters Au_N is investigated in the framework of the time-dependent local-density-approximation (TDLDA). The characteristics of the surface plasmon resonance are carefully analyzed as a function of the model parameters and the particle radius. The strong influence of the frequency-dependence of the 5d core-electron dielectric function in the vicinity of the interband threshold is emphasized. The size evolution of the Mie-frequency in free gold clusters exhibits a noticeable blue-shift trend as the particle size decreases, much stronger than in silver clusters. The width and shape of the resonance, essentially ruled by the decay via the interband transitions, are found closely correlated to the imaginary component of the core-electron dielectric function. In presence of a surrounding matrix the blue-shift trend is largely rubbed out. Agreement with recent experimental results on size-selected gold clusters embedded in an alumina matrix may be achieved by taking into account the porosity effects at the metal/matrix interface. The comparison with the predictions of classical models is also provided. Received: 9 March 1998 / Revised: 5 June 1998 / Accepted: 3 July 1998     

Quenched Emission of Fluorescence by Ligand Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles

A fluorescence-based detection scheme that uses ligand functionalized gold nanoparticles is proposed. The transduction scheme is based on the strong quenching of the fluorescence emission exerted by metallic surfaces on fluorophores positioned in their immediate vicinity (< 5 nm). Binding of fluorophore-labeled anti-biotin to biotinylated gold nanoparticles resulted in decreased fluorescence emission intensity. Subsequent competitive dissociation of labeled anti-biotin with D-biotin resulted in increased fluorescence emission intensity. These interactions occurred by means of specific molecular recognition because when the binding sites of anti-biotin were saturated with D-biotin prior to interaction with the gold nanoparticles; changes in the fluorescence emission intensity were not observed.     

Plasma desorption mass spectroscopy of thiol-passivated gold nanoparticles

Plasma desorption mass spectrometry has been applied to characterization of dodecanthiol-passivated gold nanoparticles. An overview of the experimental set-up and mass analyses for the nanoparticles prepared in different conditions are shown. Mass distributions were found to shift to higher mass regions with increasing reaction temperature and reaction period. The results are consistent with those of transmission electron microscopy observations, UV-visible absorption spectra and also with a reported laser desorption mass spectrometry.     

Circles of DNA-linked gold nanoparticle strands

DNA-connected strings of gold nanoparticles are arranged to form very uniformly annular arrays having various diameters of a few micrometers by adjusting evaporation conditions as well as the concentrations of gold nanoparticles and phosphorothioate-modified oligonucleotides. The circles are formed by the dry hole-opening mechanism rather than by the Marangoni effect. However, their sizes are very diverse and their circumferences are approaching to show single-particle thinness instead of close-packed particle cluster thickness owing to DNA-linked gold nanoparticle strands.     

Propagation oscillations in the near-field response of traveling surface waves launched by metallic nanoapertures

We discuss the implications of a frequency-dependent complex dielectric function ε(ω) of a metal for the interpretation of scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) measurements in the vicinity of metallic nanoapertures. For subwavelength slits in gold films we observe distinct spatial intensity oscillations in the near-field signal for specific wavelengths in the visible spectrum. These oscillations of the SNOM signal far away from the nanoslit are ascribed to a constructive interference between the propagating surface plasmon (SP) with light scattered parallel to the gold–air interface. In these spatial SNOM-signal oscillations information about the surface plasmon dielectric function is encoded which can be extracted, for example, in surface plasmon interferometry for applications as sensors or waveguides.     

The origin of the redshift in Brillouin spectra of silica films containing tin nanoparticles

The abrupt change of velocity in surface acoustic waves in thin films of amorphous SiO_x containing nanometre scale -Sn crystals is shown to be directly associated with the size-dependent melting of the nanoparticles, confirming preliminary experiments. High resolution thin film powder diffraction using synchrotron radiation shows that the abrupt redshift in the Brillouin spectra satellites occurs at the same temperature as the melting of the nanoparticles, evident for the loss of the Bragg peaks. Effective medium theory is used to explain the origin of the anomaly. A central peak in the Brillouin spectrum, the intensity of which shows a maximum at the melting temperature, can be interpreted in terms of overdamped fluctuations in the dielectric function. The melting temperature as a function of particle size is in agreement with theoretical predictions. No evidence for strain could be found on the X-ray diffraction profiles; the a- and c-axis thermal expansion coefficients are the same as those in bulk tin. Received 30 March 2000 and Received in final form 24 July 2000     

Optical absorption and energy-loss spectra of aligned carbon nanotubes

Optical-absorption cross-sections and energy-loss spectra of aligned multishell carbon nanotubes are investigated, on the basis of photonic band-structure calculations. A local graphite-like dielectric tensor is assigned to every point of the tubules, and the effective transverse dielectric function of the composite is computed by solving Maxwell's equations in media with tensor-like dielectric functions. A Maxwell-Garnett-like approach appropriate to the case of infinitely long anisotropic tubules is also developed. Our full calculations indicate that the experimentally measured macroscopic dielectric function of carbon nanotube materials is the result of a strong electromagnetic coupling between the tubes. An analysis of the electric-field pattern associated with this coupling is presented, showing that in the close-packed regime the incident radiation excites a very localized tangential surface plasmon. Received 18 January 2001