Electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) of surface plasmons in single silver nanoparticles and dimers: influence of beam damage and mapping of dark modes

A.L. Koh, K. Bao, I. Khan, W.E. Smith, G. Kothleitner, P. Nordlander, S.A. Maier, D.W. McComb

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

315 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We demonstrate the use of a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) equipped with a monochromator and an electron energy loss (EEL) spectrometer as a powerful tool to study localized surface plasmons in metallic nanoparticles. We find that plasmon modes can be influenced by changes in nanostructure geometry and electron beam damage and show that it is possible to delineate the two effects through optimization of specimen preparation techniques and acquisition parameters. The results from the experimental mapping of bright and dark plasmon energies are in excellent agreement with the results from theoretical modeling.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3015-3022
Number of pages7
JournalACS Nano
Volume3
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2009

Keywords

  • electron energy-loss spectroscopy
  • localized surface plasmon
  • silver nanoparticles
  • plasmon hybridization model
  • scanning transmission electron microscopy

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