ABSTRACT
A method for generating charge-induced plasmonic shifts, using argon plasma to charge nanoparticle arrays, is presented. Particles develop a negative charge, due to enhanced collisions with high-temperature electrons, in low-temperature plasmas. The negative charge generated causes a blue shift in the localized surface plasmon resonance. The dynamics of the shift were recorded and discussed. This effect could be used as a real-time method for studying the dynamics for charging in plasma.
ABSTRACT
We have developed a simple, high-throughput, and cost-effective method to fabricate one-dimensional and two-dimensional periodically corrugated silver films over centimeter scale areas. This fabrication uses a single-step holographic patterning technique with laser intensities as low as 88.8 mW/cm(2) to deposit silver nanoparticles directly from solution to create gratings with periodicities of 570 nm. A dip in the transmission spectrum for these samples is observed due to certain visible wavelengths coupling to surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) and the peak wavelength of this dip has a linear relationship with the surrounding material's refractive index (RI) with a sensitivity of 553.4 nm/RIU. The figure of merit (the ratio of refractive index sensitivity to the full width at half maximum (FWHM)) is typically in the range of 12-23. Our technique enables single-step fabrication of uniform, sub-wavelength periodic metal structures over a large area with low cost. Such sub-wavelength periodic metal structures are promising candidates as disposable sensors in applications such as affordable environmental monitoring systems and point-of-care diagnostics.
