301
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Li CH, Li MC, Liu SP, Jamison AC, Lee D, Lee TR, Lee TC. Plasmonically Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production from Water: The Critical Role of Tunable Surface Plasmon Resonance from Gold-Silver Nanoshells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2016; 8:9152-9161. [PMID: 26973998 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b01197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Gold-silver nanoshells (GS-NSs) having a tunable surface plasmon resonance (SPR) were employed to facilitate charge separation of photoexcited carriers in the photocalytic production of hydrogen from water. Zinc indium sulfide (ZnIn2S4; ZIS), a visible-light-active photocatalyst, where the band gap varies with the [Zn]/[In] ratio, was used as a model ZIS system (E(g) = 2.25 eV) to investigate the mechanisms of plasmonic enhancement associated with the nanoshells. Three types of GS-NS cores with intense absorptions centered roughly at 500, 700, and 900 nm were used as seeds for preparing GS-NS@ZIS core-shell structures via a microwave-assisted hydrothermal reaction, yielding core-shell particles with composite diameters of ∼200 nm. Notably, an interlayer of dielectric silica (SiO2) between the GS-NSs and the ZIS photocatalyst provided another parameter to enhance the production of hydrogen and to distinguish the charge-transfer mechanisms. In particular, the direct transfer of hot electrons from the GS-NSs to the ZIS photocatalyst was blocked by this layer. Of the 10 particle samples examined in this study, the greatest hydrogen gas evolution rate was observed for GS-NSs having a SiO2 interlayer thickness of ∼17 nm and an SPR absorption centered at ∼700 nm, yielding a rate 2.6 times higher than that of the ZIS without GS-NSs. The apparent quantum efficiencies for these core-shell particles were recorded and compared to the absorption spectra. Analyses of the charge-transfer mechanisms were evaluated and are discussed based on the experimental findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chien-Hung Li
- Department of Chemistry and the Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston , 4800 Calhoun Road, Houston, Texas 77204-5003, United States
| | - Min-Chih Li
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National Central University , 300 Jhongda Road, Jhongli City 32001, Taiwan
| | - Si-Ping Liu
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National Central University , 300 Jhongda Road, Jhongli City 32001, Taiwan
| | - Andrew C Jamison
- Department of Chemistry and the Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston , 4800 Calhoun Road, Houston, Texas 77204-5003, United States
| | - Dahye Lee
- Materials Science & Engineering, University of Houston , Houston, Texas 77204, United States
| | - T Randall Lee
- Department of Chemistry and the Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston , 4800 Calhoun Road, Houston, Texas 77204-5003, United States
| | - Tai-Chou Lee
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National Central University , 300 Jhongda Road, Jhongli City 32001, Taiwan
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302
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Karam TE, Khoury RA, Haber LH. Excited-state dynamics of size-dependent colloidal TiO2-Au nanocomposites. J Chem Phys 2016; 144:124704. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4944385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Tony E. Karam
- Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA
| | - Rami A. Khoury
- Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA
| | - Louis H. Haber
- Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA
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303
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Zapata Herrera M, Aizpurua J, Kazansky AK, Borisov AG. Plasmon Response and Electron Dynamics in Charged Metallic Nanoparticles. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2016; 32:2829-2840. [PMID: 26898378 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.6b00112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Using the time-dependent density functional theory, we perform quantum calculations of the electron dynamics in small charged metallic nanoparticles (clusters) of spherical geometry. We show that the excess charge is accumulated at the surface of the nanoparticle within a narrow layer given by the typical screening distance of the electronic system. As a consequence, for nanoparticles in vacuum, the dipolar plasmon mode displays only a small frequency shift upon charging. We obtain a blue shift for positively charged clusters and a red shift for negatively charged clusters, consistent with the change of the electron spill-out from the nanoparticle boundaries. For negatively charged clusters, the Fermi level is eventually promoted above the vacuum level leading to the decay of the excess charge via resonant electron transfer into the continuum. We show that, depending on the charge, the process of electron loss can be very fast, on the femtosecond time scale. Our results are of great relevance to correctly interpret the optical response of the nanoparticles obtained in electrochemistry, and demonstrate that the measured shift of the plasmon resonances upon charging of nanoparticles cannot be explained without account for the surface chemistry and the dielectric environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Zapata Herrera
- Departamento de Física, Universidad de los Andes , Bogotá D. C., Colombia
- Materials Physics Center CSIC-UPV/EHU and Donostia International Physics Center DIPC, Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 5, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Javier Aizpurua
- Materials Physics Center CSIC-UPV/EHU and Donostia International Physics Center DIPC, Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 5, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Andrey K Kazansky
- Materials Physics Center CSIC-UPV/EHU and Donostia International Physics Center DIPC, Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 5, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, E-48011 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Andrei G Borisov
- Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d'Orsay, UMR 8214 CNRS-Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Sud , Bât. 351, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France
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304
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Abstract
Resonant metal nanostructures exhibit an optically induced electrostatic potential when illuminated with monochromatic light under off-resonant conditions. This plasmoelectric effect is thermodynamically driven by the increase in entropy that occurs when the plasmonic structure aligns its resonant absorption spectrum with incident illumination by varying charge density. As a result, the elevated steady-state temperature of the nanostructure induced by plasmonic absorption is further increased by a small amount. Here, we study in detail the thermodynamic theory underlying the plasmoelectric effect by analyzing a simplified model system consisting of a single silver nanoparticle. We find that surface potentials as large as 473 mV are induced under 100 W/m2 monochromatic illumination, as a result of a 11 mK increases in the steady-state temperature of the nanoparticle. Furthermore, we discuss the applicability of this analysis for realistic experimental geometries, and show that this effect is generic for optical structures in which the resonance is linked to the charge density.
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305
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Kumar D, Lee A, Lee T, Lim M, Lim DK. Ultrafast and Efficient Transport of Hot Plasmonic Electrons by Graphene for Pt Free, Highly Efficient Visible-Light Responsive Photocatalyst. NANO LETTERS 2016; 16:1760-7. [PMID: 26854830 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b04764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
We report that reduced graphene-coated gold nanoparticles (r-GO-AuNPs) are excellent visible-light-responsive photocatalysts for the photoconversion of CO2 into formic acid (HCOOH). The wavelength-dependent quantum and chemical yields of HCOOH shows a significant contribution of plasmon-induced hot electrons for CO2 photoconversion. Furthermore, the presence and reduced state of the graphene layers are critical parameters for the efficient CO2 photoconversion because of the electron mobility of graphene. With an excellent selectivity toward HCOOH (>90%), the quantum yield of HCOOH using r-GO-AuNPs is 1.52%, superior to that of Pt-coated AuNPs (quantum yield: 1.14%). This indicates that r-GO is a viable alternative to platinum metal. The excellent colloidal stability and photocatalytic stability of r-GO-AuNPs enables CO2 photoconversion under more desirable reaction conditions. These results highlight the role of reduced graphene layers as highly efficient electron acceptors and transporters to facilitate the use of hot electrons for plasmonic photocatalysts. The femtosecond transient spectroscopic analysis also shows 8.7 times higher transport efficiency of hot plasmonic electrons in r-GO-AuNPs compared with AuNPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinesh Kumar
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University , 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-701, South Korea
| | - Ahreum Lee
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University , 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-701, South Korea
| | - Taegon Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Chemistry Institute for Functional Materials, Pusan National University , Busan 609-735 South Korea
| | - Manho Lim
- Department of Chemistry and Chemistry Institute for Functional Materials, Pusan National University , Busan 609-735 South Korea
| | - Dong-Kwon Lim
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University , 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-701, South Korea
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306
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Lin TW, Tasi TT, Chang PL, Cheng HY. Reversible Association of Nitro Compounds with p-Nitrothiophenol Modified on Ag Nanoparticles/Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites through Plasmon Mediated Photochemical Reaction. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2016; 8:8315-8322. [PMID: 26977529 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b01522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Because localized surface plasmon resonance in nanostructures of noble metals is accompanied by interesting physical effects such as optical near-field enhancement, heat release, and the generation of hot electrons, it has been employed in a wide range of applications, including plasmon-assisted chemical reactions. Here, we use a composite of silver nanoparticles and graphene oxide (Ag@GO) as the catalytic as well as the analytic platform for plasmon-assisted chemical reactions. Through time-dependent surface-enhanced Raman scattering experiments, it is found that p-nitrothiophenol (pNTP) molecules on Ag@GO can be associated with nitro compounds such as nitrobenzene and 1-nitropropane to form azo compounds when aided by the plasmons. Furthermore, the reaction rate can be modulated by varying the wavelength and power of the excitation laser as well as the nitro compounds used. In addition, the aforementioned coupling reaction can be reversed. We demonstrate that the oxidation of azo compounds on Ag@GO using KMnO4 leads to the dissociation of the N═N double bond in the azo compounds and that the rate of bond dissociation can be accelerated significantly via laser irradiation. Furthermore, the pNTP molecules on Ag@GO can be recovered after the oxidation reaction. Finally, we demonstrate that the plasmon-assisted coupling reaction allows for the immobilization of nitro-group-containing fluorophores at specific locations on Ag@GO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsung-Wu Lin
- Department of Chemistry, Tunghai University , No. 181, Sec. 3, Taichung Port Rd., Taichung City 40704, Taiwan
| | - Ting-Ti Tasi
- Department of Chemistry, Tunghai University , No. 181, Sec. 3, Taichung Port Rd., Taichung City 40704, Taiwan
| | - Po-Ling Chang
- Department of Chemistry, Tunghai University , No. 181, Sec. 3, Taichung Port Rd., Taichung City 40704, Taiwan
| | - Hsiu-Yao Cheng
- Department of Chemistry, Tunghai University , No. 181, Sec. 3, Taichung Port Rd., Taichung City 40704, Taiwan
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307
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Abstract
Plasmonics allows extraordinary control of light, making it attractive for application in solar energy harvesting. In metal-semiconductor heterojunctions, plasmons can enhance photoconversion in the semiconductor via three mechanisms, including light trapping, hot electron/hole transfer, and plasmon-induced resonance energy transfer (PIRET). To understand the plasmonic enhancement, the metal's geometry, constituent metal, and interface must be viewed in terms of the effects on the plasmon's dephasing and decay route. To simplify design of plasmonic metal-semiconductor heterojunctions for high-efficiency solar energy conversion, the parameters controlling the plasmonic enhancement can be distilled to the dephasing time. The plasmonic geometry can then be further refined to optimize hot carrier transfer, PIRET, or light trapping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott K Cushing
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Virginia University , Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6315, United States
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University , Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6106, United States
| | - Nianqiang Wu
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University , Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6106, United States
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308
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Design of all-optical, hot-electron current-direction-switching device based on geometrical asymmetry. Sci Rep 2016; 6:21470. [PMID: 26887286 PMCID: PMC4757840 DOI: 10.1038/srep21470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2015] [Accepted: 01/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
We propose a nano-scale current-direction-switching device(CDSD) that operates based on the novel phenomenon of geometrical asymmetry between two hot-electron generating plasmonic nanostructures. The proposed device is easy to fabricate and economical to develop compared to most other existing designs. It also has the ability to function without external wiring in nano or molecular circuitry since it is powered and controlled optically. We consider a such CDSD made of two dissimilar nanorods separated by a thin but finite potential barrier and theoretically derive the frequency-dependent electron/current flow rate. Our analysis takes in to account the quantum dynamics of electrons inside the nanorods under a periodic optical perturbation that are confined by nanorod boundaries, modelled as finite cylindrical potential wells. The influence of design parameters, such as geometric difference between the two nanorods, their volumes and the barrier width on quality parameters such as frequency-sensitivity of the current flow direction, magnitude of the current flow, positive to negative current ratio, and the energy conversion efficiency is discussed by considering a device made of Ag/TiO2/Ag. Theoretical insight and design guidelines presented here are useful for customizing our proposed CDSD for applications such as self-powered logic gates, power supplies, and sensors.
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309
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Zhou L, Zhang C, McClain MJ, Manjavacas A, Krauter CM, Tian S, Berg F, Everitt HO, Carter EA, Nordlander P, Halas NJ. Aluminum Nanocrystals as a Plasmonic Photocatalyst for Hydrogen Dissociation. NANO LETTERS 2016; 16:1478-84. [PMID: 26799677 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b05149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 171] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Hydrogen dissociation is a critical step in many hydrogenation reactions central to industrial chemical production and pollutant removal. This step typically utilizes the favorable band structure of precious metal catalysts like platinum and palladium to achieve high efficiency under mild conditions. Here we demonstrate that aluminum nanocrystals (Al NCs), when illuminated, can be used as a photocatalyst for hydrogen dissociation at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, despite the high activation barrier toward hydrogen adsorption and dissociation. We show that hot electron transfer from Al NCs to the antibonding orbitals of hydrogen molecules facilitates their dissociation. Hot electrons generated from surface plasmon decay and from direct photoexcitation of the interband transitions of Al both contribute to this process. Our results pave the way for the use of aluminum, an earth-abundant, nonprecious metal, for photocatalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Alejandro Manjavacas
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Mexico , Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | | | | | - Felix Berg
- Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz , D 55099 Mainz, Germany
| | - Henry O Everitt
- Army Aviation and Missile RD&E Center, Redstone Arsenal , Alabama 35898, United States
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310
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Dong Y, Rossi D, Parobek D, Son DH. Nonplasmonic Hot‐Electron Photocurrents from Mn‐Doped Quantum Dots in Photoelectrochemical Cells. Chemphyschem 2016; 17:660-4. [DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201501142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yitong Dong
- Department of Chemistry University of Texas A&M University College Station Texas 77843 USA
| | - Daniel Rossi
- Department of Chemistry University of Texas A&M University College Station Texas 77843 USA
| | - David Parobek
- Department of Chemistry University of Texas A&M University College Station Texas 77843 USA
| | - Dong Hee Son
- Department of Chemistry University of Texas A&M University College Station Texas 77843 USA
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311
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Ma XC, Dai Y, Yu L, Huang BB. Energy transfer in plasmonic photocatalytic composites. LIGHT, SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS 2016; 5:e16017. [PMID: 30167139 PMCID: PMC6062428 DOI: 10.1038/lsa.2016.17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 223] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2015] [Revised: 08/22/2015] [Accepted: 08/25/2015] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Among the many novel photocatalytic systems developed in very recent years, plasmonic photocatalytic composites possess great potential for use in applications and are one of the most intensively investigated photocatalytic systems owing to their high solar energy utilization efficiency. In these composites, the plasmonic nanoparticles (PNPs) efficiently absorb solar light through localized surface plasmon resonance and convert it into energetic electrons and holes in the nearby semiconductor. This energy transfer from PNPs to semiconductors plays a decisive role in the overall photocatalytic performance. Thus, the underlying physical mechanism is of great scientific and technological importance and is one of the hottest topics in the area of plasmonic photocatalysts. In this review, we examine the very recent advances in understanding the energy transfer process in plasmonic photocatalytic composites, describing both the theoretical basis of this process and experimental demonstrations. The factors that affect the energy transfer efficiencies and how to improve the efficiencies to yield better photocatalytic performance are also discussed. Furthermore, comparisons are made between the various energy transfer processes, emphasizing their limitations/benefits for efficient operation of plasmonic photocatalysts.
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312
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Brown AM, Sundararaman R, Narang P, Goddard WA, Atwater HA. Nonradiative Plasmon Decay and Hot Carrier Dynamics: Effects of Phonons, Surfaces, and Geometry. ACS NANO 2016; 10:957-66. [PMID: 26654729 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.5b06199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 266] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The behavior of metals across a broad frequency range from microwave to ultraviolet frequencies is of interest in plasmonics, nanophotonics, and metamaterials. Depending on the frequency, losses of collective excitations in metals can be predominantly classical resistive effects or Landau damping. In this context, we present first-principles calculations that capture all of the significant microscopic mechanisms underlying surface plasmon decay and predict the initial excited carrier distributions so generated. Specifically, we include ab initio predictions of phonon-assisted optical excitations in metals, which are critical to bridging the frequency range between resistive losses at low frequencies and direct interband transitions at high frequencies. In the commonly used plasmonic materials, gold, silver, copper, and aluminum, we find that resistive losses compete with phonon-assisted carrier generation below the interband threshold, but hot carrier generation via direct transitions dominates above threshold. Finally, we predict energy-dependent lifetimes and mean free paths of hot carriers, accounting for electron-electron and electron-phonon scattering, to provide insight toward transport of plasmonically generated carriers at the nanoscale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana M Brown
- Thomas J. Watson Laboratories of Applied Physics, ‡Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, and §Materials and Process Simulation Center, California Institute of Technology , 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Ravishankar Sundararaman
- Thomas J. Watson Laboratories of Applied Physics, ‡Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, and §Materials and Process Simulation Center, California Institute of Technology , 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Prineha Narang
- Thomas J. Watson Laboratories of Applied Physics, ‡Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, and §Materials and Process Simulation Center, California Institute of Technology , 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - William A Goddard
- Thomas J. Watson Laboratories of Applied Physics, ‡Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, and §Materials and Process Simulation Center, California Institute of Technology , 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Harry A Atwater
- Thomas J. Watson Laboratories of Applied Physics, ‡Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, and §Materials and Process Simulation Center, California Institute of Technology , 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
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313
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Niezgoda JS, Rosenthal SJ. Synthetic Strategies for Semiconductor Nanocrystals Expressing Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance. Chemphyschem 2016; 17:645-53. [DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201500758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Revised: 10/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. Scott Niezgoda
- Department of Chemistry and Vanderbilt Institute for Nanoscale Science and Engineering; Vanderbilt University; Nashville TN 37235 USA
| | - Sandra J. Rosenthal
- Department of Chemistry and Vanderbilt Institute for Nanoscale Science and Engineering; Vanderbilt University; Nashville TN 37235 USA
- Departments of Interdisciplinary Materials Science, Physics and Astronomy, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Vanderbilt University; Nashville TN 37235 USA
- Materials Science and Technology Division; Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Oak Ridge TN 37831 USA
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314
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Origin of the Avalanche-Like Photoluminescence from Metallic Nanowires. Sci Rep 2016; 6:18857. [PMID: 26728439 PMCID: PMC4700426 DOI: 10.1038/srep18857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Accepted: 11/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Surface plasmonic systems provide extremely efficient ways to modulate light-matter interaction in photon emission, light harvesting, energy conversion and transferring, etc. Various surface plasmon enhanced luminescent behaviors have been observed and investigated in these systems. But the origin of an avalanche-like photoluminescence, which was firstly reported in 2007 from Au and subsequently from Ag nanowire arrays/monomers, is still not clear. Here we show, based on systematic investigations including the excitation power/time related photoluminescent measurements as well as calculations, that this avalanche-like photoluminescence is in fact a result of surface plasmon assisted thermal radiation. Nearly all of the related observations could be perfectly interpreted with this concept. Our finding is crucial for understanding the surface plasmon mediated thermal and photoemission behaviors in plasmonic structures, which is of great importance in designing functional plasmonic devices.
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315
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Naldoni A, Riboni F, Marelli M, Bossola F, Ulisse G, Di Carlo A, Píš I, Nappini S, Malvestuto M, Dozzi MV, Psaro R, Selli E, Dal Santo V. Influence of TiO2electronic structure and strong metal–support interaction on plasmonic Au photocatalytic oxidations. Catal Sci Technol 2016. [DOI: 10.1039/c5cy01736j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Photocatalytic oxidations promoted by hot electron transfer and PRET strongly depend on Au loading and SMSI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Naldoni
- CNR-Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Molecolari
- 20133 Milan
- Italy
| | - Francesca Riboni
- Dipartimento di Chimica
- Università degli Studi di Milano
- 20133 Milan
- Italy
| | | | - Filippo Bossola
- CNR-Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Molecolari
- 20133 Milan
- Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienza e Alte Tecnologie
- Università dell'Insubria
| | - Giacomo Ulisse
- University of Rome “Tor Vergata”
- Department of Electronic Engineering
- 00133 Rome
- Italy
| | - Aldo Di Carlo
- University of Rome “Tor Vergata”
- Department of Electronic Engineering
- 00133 Rome
- Italy
| | - Igor Píš
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A
- 34149 Trieste
- Italy
- IOM CNR
- Laboratorio TASC
| | | | | | | | - Rinaldo Psaro
- CNR-Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Molecolari
- 20133 Milan
- Italy
| | - Elena Selli
- Dipartimento di Chimica
- Università degli Studi di Milano
- 20133 Milan
- Italy
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316
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Rodriguez RD, Blaudeck T, Kalbacova J, Sheremet E, Schulze S, Adner D, Hermann S, Hietschold M, Lang H, Schulz SE, Zahn DRT. Metal nanoparticles reveal the organization of single-walled carbon nanotubes in bundles. RSC Adv 2016. [DOI: 10.1039/c5ra28181d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were decorated with Ag and Au nanoparticles. The smaller SWCNTs in bundles are preferentially affected by the presence of metal nanoparticles. We postulate that smaller diameter SWCNTs surround larger ones.
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317
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Kumarasinghe CS, Premaratne M, Gunapala SD, Agrawal GP. Theoretical analysis of hot electron injection from metallic nanotubes into a semiconductor interface. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2016; 18:18227-36. [DOI: 10.1039/c6cp03043b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Hot electron injection from a metallic nanotube under optical illumination into a semiconductor layer in contact with its inner boundary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chathurangi S. Kumarasinghe
- Advanced Computing and Simulation Laboratory (AχL)
- Department of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering
- Monash University
- Clayton
- Australia
| | - Malin Premaratne
- Advanced Computing and Simulation Laboratory (AχL)
- Department of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering
- Monash University
- Clayton
- Australia
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318
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Song JE, Park JH, La JA, Park S, Jeong MK, Cho EC. Use of fluorescence signals generated by elastic scattering under monochromatic incident light for determining the scattering efficiencies of various plasmonic nanoparticles. Analyst 2016; 141:4632-9. [DOI: 10.1039/c6an00399k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Fluorescence signals generated by elastic scattering under monochromatic incident light are useful for determining scattering efficiencies of various plasmonic nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Eun Song
- Department of Chemical Engineering
- Hanyang University
- Seoul
- South Korea
| | - Ji Hoon Park
- Department of Chemical Engineering
- Hanyang University
- Seoul
- South Korea
| | - Ju A. La
- Department of Chemical Engineering
- Hanyang University
- Seoul
- South Korea
| | - Seyeon Park
- Department of Chemical Engineering
- Hanyang University
- Seoul
- South Korea
| | - Min Kuk Jeong
- Department of Chemical Engineering
- Hanyang University
- Seoul
- South Korea
| | - Eun Chul Cho
- Department of Chemical Engineering
- Hanyang University
- Seoul
- South Korea
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319
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Ma J, Wang Z, Wang LW. Interplay between plasmon and single-particle excitations in a metal nanocluster. Nat Commun 2015; 6:10107. [PMID: 26673449 PMCID: PMC4703846 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmon-generated hot carriers are used in photovoltaic or photochemical applications. However, the interplays between the plasmon and single-particle excitations in nanosystems have not been theoretically addressed using ab initio methods. Here we show such interplays in a Ag55 nanocluster using real-time time-dependent density functional theory simulations. We find that the disappearance of the zero-frequency peak in the Fourier transform of the band-to-band transition coefficient is a hallmark of the plasmon. We show the importance of the d-states for hot-carrier generations. If the single-particle d-to-s excitations are resonant to the plasmon frequency, the majority of the plasmon energy will be converted into hot carriers, and the overall hot-carrier generation is enhanced by the plasmon; if such resonance does not exist, we observe an intriguing Rabi oscillation between the plasmon and hot carriers. Phonons play a minor role in plasmonic dynamics in such small systems. This study provides guidance on improving plasmonic applications. Plasmons can enhance hot-carrier generation for efficient photochemical reactions, but the interplay between plasmons and single-particle excitations are difficult to capture in models. Here, the authors use real-time time-dependent density functional theory to study these interactions in silver nanocrystals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Ma
- Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis and Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Zhi Wang
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Lin-Wang Wang
- Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis and Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
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320
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Barman T, Hussain AA, Sharma B, Pal AR. Plasmonic Hot Hole Generation by Interband Transition in Gold-Polyaniline. Sci Rep 2015; 5:18276. [PMID: 26656664 PMCID: PMC4674755 DOI: 10.1038/srep18276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2015] [Accepted: 11/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies on hot carrier science and technology associated with various types of nanostructures are dominating today’s nanotechnology research. Here we report a novel synthesis of polyaniline-gold (PAni-Au) nanocomposite thin films with gold nanostructures (AuNs) of desired shape and size uniformly incorporated in the polymer matrix. According to shape as well as size variation of AuNs, two tunable plasmonic UV-Visible absorption bands are observed in each of the nanocomposites. Plasmonic devices are fabricated using PAni-Au nanocomposite having different UV-Visible plasmon absorption bands. However, all the devices show strong photoelectrical responses in the blue region (400–500 nm) of the visible spectrum. The d-band to sp-band (d-sp) transition of electrons in AuNs produces hot holes that are the only carriers in the material responsible for photocurrent generation in the device. This work provides an experimental evidence of novel plasmonic hot hole generation process that was still a prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tapan Barman
- Plasma Nanotech Lab, Physical Sciences Division, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology, Guwahati 781035, Assam, India
| | - Amreen A Hussain
- Plasma Nanotech Lab, Physical Sciences Division, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology, Guwahati 781035, Assam, India
| | - Bikash Sharma
- Plasma Nanotech Lab, Physical Sciences Division, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology, Guwahati 781035, Assam, India
| | - Arup R Pal
- Plasma Nanotech Lab, Physical Sciences Division, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology, Guwahati 781035, Assam, India
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321
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Long R, Prezhdo OV. Dopants Control Electron-Hole Recombination at Perovskite-TiO₂ Interfaces: Ab Initio Time-Domain Study. ACS NANO 2015; 9:11143-11155. [PMID: 26456384 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.5b05843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
TiO2 sensitized with organohalide perovskites gives rise to solar-to-electricity conversion efficiencies reaching close to 20%. Nonradiative electron-hole recombination across the perovskite/TiO2 interface constitutes a major pathway of energy losses, limiting quantum yield of the photoinduced charge. In order to establish the fundamental mechanisms of the energy losses and to propose practical means for controlling the interfacial electron-hole recombination, we applied ab initio nonadiabatic (NA) molecular dynamics to pristine and doped CH3NH3PbI3(100)/TiO2 anatase(001) interfaces. We show that doping by substitution of iodide with chlorine or bromine reduces charge recombination, while replacing lead with tin enhances the recombination. Generally, lighter and faster atoms increase the NA coupling. Since the dopants are lighter than the atoms they replace, one expects a priori that all three dopants should accelerate the recombination. We rationalize the unexpected behavior of chlorine and bromine by three effects. First, the Pb-Cl and Pb-Br bonds are shorter than the Pb-I bond. As a result, Cl and Br atoms are farther away from the TiO2 surface, decreasing the donor-acceptor coupling. In contrast, some iodines form chemical bonds with Ti atoms, increasing the coupling. Second, chlorine and bromine reduce the NA electron-vibrational coupling, because they contribute little to the electron and hole wave functions. Tin increases the coupling, since it is lighter than lead and contributes to the hole wave function. Third, higher frequency modes introduced by chlorine and bromine shorten quantum coherence, thereby decreasing the transition rate. The recombination occurs due to coupling of the electronic subsystem to low-frequency perovskite and TiO2 modes. The simulation shows excellent agreement with the available experimental data and advances our understanding of electronic and vibrational dynamics in perovskite solar cells. The study provides design principles for optimizing solar cell performance and increasing photon-to-electron conversion efficiency through creative choice of dopants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Run Long
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University , Beijing, 100875, People's Republic of China
- School of Physics, Complex & Adaptive Systems Lab, University College Dublin , Dublin, Ireland
| | - Oleg V Prezhdo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
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322
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Ueno K, Oshikiri T, Misawa H. Plasmon-Induced Water Splitting Using Metallic-Nanoparticle-Loaded Photocatalysts and Photoelectrodes. Chemphyschem 2015; 17:199-215. [DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201500761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kosei Ueno
- Research Institute for Electronic Science; Hokkaido University; N21, W10, Kita-ku 001-0021 Sapporo Japan
| | - Tomoya Oshikiri
- Research Institute for Electronic Science; Hokkaido University; N21, W10, Kita-ku 001-0021 Sapporo Japan
| | - Hiroaki Misawa
- Research Institute for Electronic Science; Hokkaido University; N21, W10, Kita-ku 001-0021 Sapporo Japan
- Department of Applied Chemistry & Institute of Molecular Science; National Chiao Tung University; 1001 Ta Hsueh R. Hsinchu 30010 Taiwan
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323
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Pal PP, Jiang N, Sonntag MD, Chiang N, Foley ET, Hersam MC, Van Duyne RP, Seideman T. Plasmon-Mediated Electron Transport in Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopic Junctions. J Phys Chem Lett 2015; 6:4210-4218. [PMID: 26538036 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.5b01902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
We combine experiment, theory, and first-principles-based calculations to study the light-induced plasmon-mediated electron transport characteristics of a molecular-scale junction. The experimental data show a nonlinear increase in electronic current perturbation when the focus of a chopped laser beam moves laterally toward the tip-sample junction. To understand this behavior and generalize it, we apply a combined theory of the electronic nonequilibrium formed upon decoherence of an optically triggered plasmon and first-principles transport calculations. Our model illustrates that the current via an adsorbed molecular monolayer increases nonlinearly as more energy is pumped into the junction due to the increasing availability of virtual molecular orbital channels for transport with higher injection energies. Our results thus illustrate light-triggered, plasmon-enhanced tunneling current in the presence of a molecular linker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Partha Pratim Pal
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and ⊥Applied Physics Graduate Program, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Nan Jiang
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and ⊥Applied Physics Graduate Program, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Matthew D Sonntag
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and ⊥Applied Physics Graduate Program, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Naihao Chiang
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and ⊥Applied Physics Graduate Program, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Edward T Foley
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and ⊥Applied Physics Graduate Program, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Mark C Hersam
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and ⊥Applied Physics Graduate Program, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Richard P Van Duyne
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and ⊥Applied Physics Graduate Program, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Tamar Seideman
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and ⊥Applied Physics Graduate Program, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
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324
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Zhang P, Wang T, Gong J. Mechanistic Understanding of the Plasmonic Enhancement for Solar Water Splitting. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2015; 27:5328-42. [PMID: 26265309 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201500888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 187] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2015] [Revised: 06/09/2015] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
H2 generation by solar water splitting is one of the most promising solutions to meet the increasing energy demands of the fast developing society. However, the efficiency of solar-water-splitting systems is still too low for practical applications, which requires further enhancement via different strategies such as doping, construction of heterojunctions, morphology control, and optimization of the crystal structure. Recently, integration of plasmonic metals to semiconductor photocatalysts has been proved to be an effective way to improve their photocatalytic activities. Thus, in-depth understanding of the enhancement mechanisms is of great importance for better utilization of the plasmonic effect. This review describes the relevant mechanisms from three aspects, including: i) light absorption and scattering; ii) hot-electron injection and iii) plasmon-induced resonance energy transfer (PIRET). Perspectives are also proposed to trigger further innovative thinking on plasmonic-enhanced solar water splitting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Tuo Wang
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Jinlong Gong
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin, 300072, China
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325
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Keller EL, Brandt NC, Cassabaum AA, Frontiera RR. Ultrafast surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Analyst 2015; 140:4922-31. [PMID: 26016991 DOI: 10.1039/c5an00869g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Ultrafast surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) with pico- and femtosecond time resolution has the ability to elucidate the mechanisms by which plasmons mediate chemical reactions. Here we review three important technological advances in these new methodologies, and discuss their prospects for applications in areas including plasmon-induced chemistry and sensing at very low limits of detection. Surface enhancement, arising from plasmonic materials, has been successfully incorporated with stimulated Raman techniques such as femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy (FSRS) and coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS). These techniques are capable of time-resolved measurement on the femtosecond and picosecond time scale and can be used to follow the dynamics of molecules reacting near plasmonic surfaces. We discuss the potential application of ultrafast SERS techniques to probe plasmon-mediated processes, such as H2 dissociation and solar steam production. Additionally, we discuss the possibilities for high sensitivity SERS sensing using these stimulated Raman spectroscopies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily L Keller
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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326
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Robatjazi H, Bahauddin SM, Doiron C, Thomann I. Direct Plasmon-Driven Photoelectrocatalysis. NANO LETTERS 2015; 15:6155-61. [PMID: 26243130 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b02453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Harnessing the energy from hot charge carriers is an emerging research area with the potential to improve energy conversion technologies.1-3 Here we present a novel plasmonic photoelectrode architecture carefully designed to drive photocatalytic reactions by efficient, nonradiative plasmon decay into hot carriers. In contrast to past work, our architecture does not utilize a Schottky junction, the commonly used building block to collect hot carriers. Instead, we observed large photocurrents from a Schottky-free junction due to direct hot electron injection from plasmonic gold nanoparticles into the reactant species upon plasmon decay. The key ingredients of our approach are (i) an architecture for increased light absorption inspired by optical impedance matching concepts,4 (ii) carrier separation by a selective transport layer, and (iii) efficient hot-carrier generation and injection from small plasmonic Au nanoparticles to adsorbed water molecules. We also investigated the quantum efficiency of hot electron injection for different particle diameters to elucidate potential quantum effects while keeping the plasmon resonance frequency unchanged. Interestingly, our studies did not reveal differences in the hot-electron generation and injection efficiencies for the investigated particle dimensions and plasmon resonances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Robatjazi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, ‡Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering, §Department of Chemistry, ∥Laboratory for Nanophotonics, and ⊥Rice Quantum Institute, Rice University , 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Shah Mohammad Bahauddin
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, ‡Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering, §Department of Chemistry, ∥Laboratory for Nanophotonics, and ⊥Rice Quantum Institute, Rice University , 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Chloe Doiron
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, ‡Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering, §Department of Chemistry, ∥Laboratory for Nanophotonics, and ⊥Rice Quantum Institute, Rice University , 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Isabell Thomann
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, ‡Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering, §Department of Chemistry, ∥Laboratory for Nanophotonics, and ⊥Rice Quantum Institute, Rice University , 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
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327
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Harutyunyan H, Martinson ABF, Rosenmann D, Khorashad LK, Besteiro LV, Govorov AO, Wiederrecht GP. Anomalous ultrafast dynamics of hot plasmonic electrons in nanostructures with hot spots. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2015; 10:770-4. [PMID: 26237345 DOI: 10.1038/nnano.2015.165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2014] [Accepted: 06/29/2015] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The interaction of light and matter in metallic nanosystems is mediated by the collective oscillation of surface electrons, called plasmons. After excitation, plasmons are absorbed by the metal electrons through inter- and intraband transitions, creating a highly non-thermal distribution of electrons. The electron population then decays through electron-electron interactions, creating a hot electron distribution within a few hundred femtoseconds, followed by a further relaxation via electron-phonon scattering on the timescale of a few picoseconds. In the spectral domain, hot plasmonic electrons induce changes to the plasmonic resonance of the nanostructure by modifying the dielectric constant of the metal. Here, we report on the observation of anomalously strong changes to the ultrafast temporal and spectral responses of these excited hot plasmonic electrons in hybrid metal/oxide nanostructures as a result of varying the geometry and composition of the nanostructure and the excitation wavelength. In particular, we show a large ultrafast, pulsewidth-limited contribution to the excited electron decay signal in hybrid nanostructures containing hot spots. The intensity of this contribution correlates with the efficiency of the generation of highly excited surface electrons. Using theoretical models, we attribute this effect to the generation of hot plasmonic electrons from hot spots. We then develop general principles to enhance the generation of energetic electrons through specifically designed plasmonic nanostructures that could be used in applications where hot electron generation is beneficial, such as in solar photocatalysis, photodetectors and nonlinear devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayk Harutyunyan
- Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
- Department of Physics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA
| | - Alex B F Martinson
- Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
| | - Daniel Rosenmann
- Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
| | | | - Lucas V Besteiro
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701, USA
| | - Alexander O Govorov
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701, USA
| | - Gary P Wiederrecht
- Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
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328
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Pezzi L, De Sio L, Veltri A, Placido T, Palermo G, Comparelli R, Curri ML, Agostiano A, Tabiryan N, Umeton C. Photo-thermal effects in gold nanoparticles dispersed in thermotropic nematic liquid crystals. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2015; 17:20281-7. [PMID: 26189931 DOI: 10.1039/c5cp01377a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The last few years have seen a growing interest in the ability of metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) to control temperature at the nanoscale. Under a suitable optical radiation, MNPs feature an enhanced light absorption/scattering, thus turning into an ideal nano-source of heat, remotely controllable by means of light. In this framework, we report our recent efforts on modeling and characterizing the photo-thermal effects observed in gold nanoparticles (GNPs) dispersed in thermotropic Liquid Crystals (LCs). Photo-induced temperature variations in GNPs dispersed in Nematic LCs (NLCs) have been studied by implementing an ad hoc theoretical model based on the thermal heating equation applied to an anisotropic medium. Theoretical predictions have been verified by performing photo-heating experiments on a sample containing a small percentage of GNPs dispersed in NLCs. Both theory and experiments represent an important achievement in understanding the physics of heat transfer at the nanoscale, with applications ranging from photonics to nanomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigia Pezzi
- Department of Physics, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende (CS), Italy. CNR - NSNOTEC - U.O.S. Li.Cryl Cosenza..
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329
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Haug T, Klemm P, Bange S, Lupton JM. Hot-Electron Intraband Luminescence from Single Hot Spots in Noble-Metal Nanoparticle Films. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2015; 115:067403. [PMID: 26296132 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.115.067403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2015] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Disordered noble-metal nanoparticle films exhibit highly localized and stable nonlinear light emission from subdiffraction regions upon illumination by near-infrared femtosecond pulses. Such hot spot emission spans a continuum in the visible and near-infrared spectral range. Strong plasmonic enhancement of light-matter interaction and the resulting complexity of experimental observations have prevented the development of a universal understanding of the origin of light emission. Here, we study the dependence of emission spectra on excitation irradiance and provide the most direct evidence yet that the continuum emission observed from both silver and gold nanoparticle aggregate surfaces is caused by recombination of hot electrons within the conduction band. The electron gas in the emitting particles, which is effectively decoupled from the lattice temperature for the duration of emission, reaches temperatures of several thousand Kelvin and acts as a subdiffraction incandescent light source on subpicosecond time scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Haug
- Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik, Universität Regensburg, 93051 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Philippe Klemm
- Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik, Universität Regensburg, 93051 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Bange
- Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik, Universität Regensburg, 93051 Regensburg, Germany
| | - John M Lupton
- Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik, Universität Regensburg, 93051 Regensburg, Germany
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330
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Huang D, Byers CP, Wang LY, Hoggard A, Hoener B, Dominguez-Medina S, Chen S, Chang WS, Landes CF, Link S. Photoluminescence of a Plasmonic Molecule. ACS NANO 2015; 9:7072-9. [PMID: 26165983 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.5b01634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Photoluminescent Au nanoparticles are appealing for biosensing and bioimaging applications because of their non-photobleaching and non-photoblinking emission. The mechanism of one-photon photoluminescence from plasmonic nanostructures is still heavily debated though. Here, we report on the one-photon photoluminescence of strongly coupled 50 nm Au nanosphere dimers, the simplest plasmonic molecule. We observe emission from coupled plasmonic modes as revealed by single-particle photoluminescence spectra in comparison to correlated dark-field scattering spectroscopy. The photoluminescence quantum yield of the dimers is found to be surprisingly similar to the constituent monomers, suggesting that the increased local electric field of the dimer plays a minor role, in contradiction to several proposed mechanisms. Aided by electromagnetic simulations of scattering and absorption spectra, we conclude that our data are instead consistent with a multistep mechanism that involves the emission due to radiative decay of surface plasmons generated from excited electron-hole pairs following interband absorption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da Huang
- †Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Chad P Byers
- †Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Lin-Yung Wang
- †Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Anneli Hoggard
- †Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Ben Hoener
- †Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Sergio Dominguez-Medina
- †Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Sishan Chen
- †Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Wei-Shun Chang
- †Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Christy F Landes
- †Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Stephan Link
- †Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
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331
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Kumarasinghe CS, Premaratne M, Bao Q, Agrawal GP. Theoretical analysis of hot electron dynamics in nanorods. Sci Rep 2015. [PMID: 26202823 PMCID: PMC4511875 DOI: 10.1038/srep12140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Localised surface plasmons create a non-equilibrium high-energy electron gas in nanostructures that can be injected into other media in energy harvesting applications. Here, we derive the rate of this localised-surface-plasmon mediated generation of hot electrons in nanorods and the rate of injecting them into other media by considering quantum mechanical motion of the electron gas. Specifically, we use the single-electron wave function of a particle in a cylindrical potential well and the electric field enhancement factor of an elongated ellipsoid to derive the energy distribution of electrons after plasmon excitation. We compare the performance of nanorods with equivolume nanoparticles of other shapes such as nanospheres and nanopallets and report that nanorods exhibit significantly better performance over a broad spectrum. We present a comprehensive theoretical analysis of how different parameters contribute to efficiency of hot-electron harvesting in nanorods and reveal that increasing the aspect ratio can increase the hot-electron generation and injection, but the volume shows an inverse dependency when efficiency per unit volume is considered. Further, the electron thermalisation time shows much less influence on the injection rate. Our derivations and results provide the much needed theoretical insight for optimization of hot-electron harvesting process in highly adaptable metallic nanorods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chathurangi S Kumarasinghe
- Monash Advanced Computing and Simulation Laboratory (AχL), Department of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Malin Premaratne
- Monash Advanced Computing and Simulation Laboratory (AχL), Department of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Qiaoliang Bao
- 1] Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia [2] Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, P. R. China
| | - Govind P Agrawal
- The Institute of Optics, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, USA
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332
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Distinguishing between plasmon-induced and photoexcited carriers in a device geometry. Nat Commun 2015; 6:7797. [PMID: 26165521 PMCID: PMC4510964 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2015] [Accepted: 06/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of surface plasmons, charge density oscillations of conduction electrons of metallic nanostructures, to boost the efficiency of light-harvesting devices through increased light-matter interactions could drastically alter how sunlight is converted into electricity or fuels. These excitations can decay directly into energetic electron–hole pairs, useful for photocurrent generation or photocatalysis. However, the mechanisms behind plasmonic carrier generation remain poorly understood. Here we use nanowire-based hot-carrier devices on a wide-bandgap semiconductor to show that plasmonic carrier generation is proportional to internal field-intensity enhancement and occurs independently of bulk absorption. We also show that plasmon-induced hot electrons have higher energies than carriers generated by direct excitation and that reducing the barrier height allows for the collection of carriers from plasmons and direct photoexcitation. Our results provide a route to increasing the efficiency of plasmonic hot-carrier devices, which could lead to more efficient devices for converting sunlight into usable energy. Plasmonic excitations of electrons in metallic nanostructures are promising for the enhanced conversion of light in semiconductor solar cells. Here, the authors are able to experimentally distinguish the absorption phenomena of plasmonic carrier generation and excitation of carriers by light absorption.
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333
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Hot electron-induced reduction of small molecules on photorecycling metal surfaces. Nat Commun 2015; 6:7570. [PMID: 26138619 PMCID: PMC4506517 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2015] [Accepted: 05/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Noble metals are important photocatalysts due to their ability to convert light into chemical energy. Hot electrons, generated via the non-radiative decay of localized surface plasmons, can be transferred to reactants on the metal surface. Unfortunately, the number of hot electrons per molecule is limited due to charge–carrier recombination. In addition to the reduction half-reaction with hot electrons, also the corresponding oxidation counter-half-reaction must take place since otherwise the overall redox reaction cannot proceed. Here we report on the conceptual importance of promoting the oxidation counter-half-reaction in plasmon-mediated catalysis by photorecycling in order to overcome this general limitation. A six-electron photocatalytic reaction occurs even in the absence of conventional chemical reducing agents due to the photoinduced recycling of Ag atoms from hot holes in the oxidation half-reaction. This concept of multi-electron, counter-half-reaction-promoted photocatalysis provides exciting new opportunities for driving efficient light-to-energy conversion processes. Hot electrons are generated when energy is transferred from an incoming photon, enabling an electron from a metal surface to become mobile. Here, the authors irradiate plasmonically active silver core-satellite superstructures and use the hot electrons to effect chemical reactions via photorecycling.
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334
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Gao S. Nonlinear response of metal nanoparticles: Double plasmon excitation and electron transfer. J Chem Phys 2015; 142:234701. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4922490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Shiwu Gao
- Beijing Computational Science Research Center, Zhongguancun Software Park II, 100094, Beijing, China
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335
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Fang Y, Jiao Y, Xiong K, Ogier R, Yang ZJ, Gao S, Dahlin AB, Käll M. Plasmon Enhanced Internal Photoemission in Antenna-Spacer-Mirror Based Au/TiO₂ Nanostructures. NANO LETTERS 2015; 15:4059-4065. [PMID: 25938263 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b01070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Emission of photoexcited hot electrons from plasmonic metal nanostructures to semiconductors is key to a number of proposed nanophotonics technologies for solar harvesting, water splitting, photocatalysis, and a variety of optical sensing and photodetector applications. Favorable materials and catalytic properties make systems based on gold and TiO2 particularly interesting, but the internal photoemission efficiency for visible light is low because of the wide bandgap of the semiconductor. We investigated the incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency of thin TiO2 films decorated with Au nanodisk antennas in an electrochemical circuit and found that incorporation of a Au mirror beneath the semiconductor amplified the photoresponse for light with wavelength λ = 500-950 nm by a factor 2-10 compared to identical structures lacking the mirror component. Classical electrodynamics simulations showed that the enhancement effect is caused by a favorable interplay between localized surface plasmon excitations and cavity modes that together amplify the light absorption in the Au/TiO2 interface. The experimentally determined internal quantum efficiency for hot electron transfer decreases monotonically with wavelength, similar to the probability for interband excitations with energy higher than the Schottky barrier obtained from a density functional theory band structure simulation of a thin Au/TiO2 slab.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yurui Fang
- †Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg SE-412 96, Sweden
| | - Yang Jiao
- †Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg SE-412 96, Sweden
| | - Kunli Xiong
- †Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg SE-412 96, Sweden
| | - Robin Ogier
- †Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg SE-412 96, Sweden
| | - Zhong-Jian Yang
- †Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg SE-412 96, Sweden
| | - Shiwu Gao
- †Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg SE-412 96, Sweden
- ‡Beijing Computational Science Research Center, Zhongguancun Software Park II, No. 10 Dongbeiwang West Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100094, China
| | - Andreas B Dahlin
- †Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg SE-412 96, Sweden
| | - Mikael Käll
- †Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg SE-412 96, Sweden
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336
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Bernardi M, Mustafa J, Neaton JB, Louie SG. Theory and computation of hot carriers generated by surface plasmon polaritons in noble metals. Nat Commun 2015; 6:7044. [PMID: 26033445 PMCID: PMC4458868 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2015] [Accepted: 03/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Hot carriers (HC) generated by surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in noble metals are promising for application in optoelectronics, plasmonics and renewable energy. However, existing models fail to explain key quantitative details of SPP-to-HC conversion experiments. Here we develop a quantum mechanical framework and apply first-principles calculations to study the energy distribution and scattering processes of HCs generated by SPPs in Au and Ag. We find that the relative positions of the s and d bands of noble metals regulate the energy distribution and mean free path of the HCs, and that the electron-phonon interaction controls HC energy loss and transport. Our results prescribe optimal conditions for HC generation and extraction, and invalidate previously employed free-electron-like models. Our work combines density functional theory, GW and electron-phonon calculations to provide microscopic insight into HC generation and ultrafast dynamics in noble metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Bernardi
- Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, 366 LeConte Hall #7300, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Jamal Mustafa
- Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, 366 LeConte Hall #7300, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Jeffrey B. Neaton
- Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, 366 LeConte Hall #7300, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Kavli Institute for Energy Nanosciences at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Steven G. Louie
- Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, 366 LeConte Hall #7300, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
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337
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García de Arquer FP, Konstantatos G. Metal-insulator-semiconductor heterostructures for plasmonic hot-carrier optoelectronics. OPTICS EXPRESS 2015; 23:14715-14723. [PMID: 26072830 DOI: 10.1364/oe.23.014715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Plasmonic hot-electron devices are attractive candidates for light-energy harvesting and photodetection applications. For solid state devices, the most compact and straightforward architecture is the metal-semiconductor Schottky junction. However convenient, this structure introduces limitations such as the elevated dark current associated to thermionic emission, or constraints for device design due to the finite choice of materials. In this work we theoretically consider the metal-insulator-semiconductor heterojunction as a candidate for plasmonic hot-carrier photodetection and solar cells. The presence of the insulating layer can significantly reduce the dark current, resulting in increased device performance with predicted solar power conversion efficiencies up to 9%. For photodetection, the sensitivity can be extended well into the infrared by a judicious choice of the insulating layer, with up to 300-fold expected enhancement in detectivity.
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338
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Li G, Cherqui C, Bigelow NW, Duscher G, Straney PJ, Millstone JE, Masiello DJ, Camden JP. Spatially Mapping Energy Transfer from Single Plasmonic Particles to Semiconductor Substrates via STEM/EELS. NANO LETTERS 2015; 15:3465-71. [PMID: 25845028 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b00802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Energy transfer from plasmonic nanoparticles to semiconductors can expand the available spectrum of solar energy-harvesting devices. Here, we spatially and spectrally resolve the interaction between single Ag nanocubes with insulating and semiconducting substrates using electron energy-loss spectroscopy, electrodynamics simulations, and extended plasmon hybridization theory. Our results illustrate a new way to characterize plasmon-semiconductor energy transfer at the nanoscale and bear impact upon the design of next-generation solar energy-harvesting devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoliang Li
- †Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Charles Cherqui
- ‡Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Nicholas W Bigelow
- ‡Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Gerd Duscher
- §Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Patrick J Straney
- ∥Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Jill E Millstone
- ∥Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - David J Masiello
- ‡Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Jon P Camden
- †Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
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339
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Yorulmaz M, Nizzero S, Hoggard A, Wang LY, Cai YY, Su MN, Chang WS, Link S. Single-particle absorption spectroscopy by photothermal contrast. NANO LETTERS 2015; 15:3041-7. [PMID: 25849105 DOI: 10.1021/nl504992h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Removing effects of sample heterogeneity through single-molecule and single-particle techniques has advanced many fields. While background free luminescence and scattering spectroscopy is widely used, recording the absorption spectrum only is rather difficult. Here we present an approach capable of recording pure absorption spectra of individual nanostructures. We demonstrate the implementation of single-particle absorption spectroscopy on strongly scattering plasmonic nanoparticles by combining photothermal microscopy with a supercontinuum laser and an innovative calibration procedure that accounts for chromatic aberrations and wavelength-dependent excitation powers. Comparison of the absorption spectra to the scattering spectra of the same individual gold nanoparticles reveals the blueshift of the absorption spectra, as predicted by Mie theory but previously not detectable in extinction measurements that measure the sum of absorption and scattering. By covering a wavelength range of 300 nm, we are furthermore able to record absorption spectra of single gold nanorods with different aspect ratios. We find that the spectral shift between absorption and scattering for the longitudinal plasmon resonance decreases as a function of nanorod aspect ratio, which is in agreement with simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustafa Yorulmaz
- †Department of Chemistry, ‡Applied Physics Graduate Program, §Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Sara Nizzero
- †Department of Chemistry, ‡Applied Physics Graduate Program, §Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Anneli Hoggard
- †Department of Chemistry, ‡Applied Physics Graduate Program, §Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Lin-Yung Wang
- †Department of Chemistry, ‡Applied Physics Graduate Program, §Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Yi-Yu Cai
- †Department of Chemistry, ‡Applied Physics Graduate Program, §Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Man-Nung Su
- †Department of Chemistry, ‡Applied Physics Graduate Program, §Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Wei-Shun Chang
- †Department of Chemistry, ‡Applied Physics Graduate Program, §Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Stephan Link
- †Department of Chemistry, ‡Applied Physics Graduate Program, §Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
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340
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Dong Y, Choi J, Jeong HK, Son DH. Hot Electrons Generated from Doped Quantum Dots via Upconversion of Excitons to Hot Charge Carriers for Enhanced Photocatalysis. J Am Chem Soc 2015; 137:5549-54. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.5b02026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yitong Dong
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Julius Choi
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Hae-Kwon Jeong
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Dong Hee Son
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
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341
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Hubarevich A, Kukhta A, Demir HV, Sun X, Wang H. Ultra-thin broadband nanostructured insulator-metal-insulator-metal plasmonic light absorber. OPTICS EXPRESS 2015; 23:9753-9761. [PMID: 25969014 DOI: 10.1364/oe.23.009753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
An ultra-thin nanostructured plasmonic light absorber with an insulator-metal-insulator-metal (IMIM) architecture is designed and numerically studied. The IMIM structure is capable to absorb up to about 82.5% of visible light in a broad wavelength range of 300-750 nm. The absorption by the bottom metal is only 6% of that of the top metal. The results show that the IMIM architecture has weak dependence of the angle of the incident light. Interestingly, by varying the top insulator material the optical absorption spectrum can be shifted more than 180 nm as compared to the conventional air-metal-insulator-metal structure. The IMIM structure can be applied for different plasmonic devices with improved performance.
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342
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Wu DY, Zhang M, Zhao LB, Huang YF, Ren B, Tian ZQ. Surface plasmon-enhanced photochemical reactions on noble metal nanostructures. Sci China Chem 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s11426-015-5316-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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343
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Pelayo García de Arquer F, Mihi A, Konstantatos G. Molecular interfaces for plasmonic hot electron photovoltaics. NANOSCALE 2015; 7:2281-2288. [PMID: 25578026 DOI: 10.1039/c4nr06356b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The use of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) to improve and tailor the photovoltaic performance of plasmonic hot-electron Schottky solar cells is presented. SAMs allow the simultaneous control of open-circuit voltage, hot-electron injection and short-circuit current. To that end, a plurality of molecule structural parameters can be adjusted: SAM molecule's length can be adjusted to control plasmonic hot electron injection. Modifying SAMs dipole moment allows for a precise tuning of the open-circuit voltage. The functionalization of the SAM can also be selected to modify short-circuit current. This allows the simultaneous achievement of high open-circuit voltages (0.56 V) and fill-factors (0.58), IPCE above 5% at the plasmon resonance and maximum power-conversion efficiencies of 0.11%, record for this class of devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Pelayo García de Arquer
- ICFO - Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, Mediterranean Technology Park 08860 Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain.
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344
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Barman T, Pal AR. Plasmonic photosensitization of polyaniline prepared by a novel process for high-performance flexible photodetector. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2015; 7:2166-2170. [PMID: 25604046 DOI: 10.1021/am507821f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
We report the synthesis of a polyaniline (PAni)-gold nanoparticle (AuNP) composite thin film in a single step. A flexible high-performance visible photodetector is constructed using PAni-AuNP composite with low loading of AuNP, and optoelectronic properties of the device are evaluated. The present study demonstrates that a plasmonic hybrid nanocomposite prepared by a single-step novel plasma-based dry process could solve the low lifetime and performance-related issues of organic optoelectronic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tapan Barman
- Physical Sciences Division, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology, Paschim Boragaon , Garchuk, Guwahati 781035, Assam, India
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345
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Plasmonically sensitized metal-oxide electron extraction layers for organic solar cells. Sci Rep 2015; 5:7765. [PMID: 25592174 PMCID: PMC4296292 DOI: 10.1038/srep07765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2014] [Accepted: 12/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
ZnO and TiOx are commonly used as electron extraction layers (EELs) in organic solar cells (OSCs). A general phenomenon of OSCs incorporating these metal-oxides is the requirement to illuminate the devices with UV light in order to improve device characteristics. This may cause severe problems if UV to VIS down-conversion is applied or if the UV spectral range (λ < 400 nm) is blocked to achieve an improved device lifetime. In this work, silver nanoparticles (AgNP) are used to plasmonically sensitize metal-oxide based EELs in the vicinity (1-20 nm) of the metal-oxide/organic interface. We evidence that plasmonically sensitized metal-oxide layers facilitate electron extraction and afford well-behaved highly efficient OSCs, even without the typical requirement of UV exposure. It is shown that in the plasmonically sensitized metal-oxides the illumination with visible light lowers the WF due to desorption of previously ionosorbed oxygen, in analogy to the process found in neat metal oxides upon UV exposure, only. As underlying mechanism the transfer of hot holes from the metal to the oxide upon illumination with hν < Eg is verified. The general applicability of this concept to most common metal-oxides (e.g. TiOx and ZnO) in combination with different photoactive organic materials is demonstrated.
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346
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Gong T, Munday JN. Angle-independent hot carrier generation and collection using transparent conducting oxides. NANO LETTERS 2015; 15:147-152. [PMID: 25436991 DOI: 10.1021/nl503246h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
When high-energy photons are absorbed in a semiconductor or metal, electrons and holes are generated with excess kinetic energy, so-called hot carriers. This extra energy is dissipated, for example, by phonon emission, which results in sample heating. Recovery of hot carriers is important for detectors, sensors, and power convertors; however, the design and implementation of these devices is difficult due to strict requirements on the device geometry, angle of illumination, and incident photon wavelength. Here, we present for the first time a simple, angle-independent device based on transparent conducting electrodes that allows for the generation and collection of hot carriers. We show experimental photocurrent generation from both monochromatic and broadband light sources, show uniform absorption for incident illumination at up to 60° from the surface normal, and find an expected open-circuit voltage in the range 1.5-3.0 V. Under solar illumination, the device is 1 order of magnitude more efficient than previous metal-insulator-metal designs, and power conversion efficiencies >10% are predicted with optimized structures. This approach opens the door to new hot carrier collection devices and detectors based on transparent conducting electrodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Gong
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics, University of Maryland , College Park, Maryland 20742-3511, United States
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347
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Brongersma ML, Halas NJ, Nordlander P. Plasmon-induced hot carrier science and technology. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2015; 10:25-34. [PMID: 25559968 DOI: 10.1038/nnano.2014.311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1349] [Impact Index Per Article: 149.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2014] [Accepted: 11/24/2014] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of the photoelectric effect by Heinrich Hertz in 1887 set the foundation for over 125 years of hot carrier science and technology. In the early 1900s it played a critical role in the development of quantum mechanics, but even today the unique properties of these energetic, hot carriers offer new and exciting opportunities for fundamental research and applications. Measurement of the kinetic energy and momentum of photoejected hot electrons can provide valuable information on the electronic structure of materials. The heat generated by hot carriers can be harvested to drive a wide range of physical and chemical processes. Their kinetic energy can be used to harvest solar energy or create sensitive photodetectors and spectrometers. Photoejected charges can also be used to electrically dope two-dimensional materials. Plasmon excitations in metallic nanostructures can be engineered to enhance and provide valuable control over the emission of hot carriers. This Review discusses recent advances in the understanding and application of plasmon-induced hot carrier generation and highlights some of the exciting new directions for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark L Brongersma
- 1] Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA [2] Stanford Institute for Materials and Energy Sciences, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
| | - Naomi J Halas
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Department of Materials Science and Nanoengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
| | - Peter Nordlander
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Department of Materials Science and Nanoengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
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348
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Lee WR, Mubeen S, Stucky GD, Moskovits M. A surface plasmon enabled liquid-junction photovoltaic cell. Faraday Discuss 2015; 178:413-20. [DOI: 10.1039/c4fd00185k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Plasmonic nanosystems have recently been shown to be capable of functioning as photovoltaics and of carrying out redox photochemistry, purportedly using the energetic electrons and holes created following plasmonic decay as charge carriers. Although such devices currently have low efficiency, they already manifest a number of favorable characteristics, such as their tunability over the entire solar spectrum and a remarkable resistance to photocorrosion. Here, we report a plasmonic photovoltaic using a 25 μm thick electrolytic liquid junction which supports the iodide/triiodide (I−/I3−) redox couple. The device produces photocurrent densities in excess of 40 μA cm−2, an open circuit voltage (Voc) of ∼0.24 V and a fill factor of ∼0.5 using AM 1.5 G solar radiation at 100 mW cm−2. The photocurrent and the power conversion efficiency are primarily limited by the low light absorption in the 2-D gold nanoparticle arrays. The use of a liquid junction greatly reduces dielectric breakdown in the oxide layers utilized, which must be very thin for optimal performance, leading to a great improvement in the long-term stability of the cell's performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Woo-ram Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- University of California
- Santa Barbara
- USA
| | - Syed Mubeen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- University of California
- Santa Barbara
- USA
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
| | - Galen D. Stucky
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- University of California
- Santa Barbara
- USA
| | - Martin Moskovits
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- University of California
- Santa Barbara
- USA
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349
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Liu BJ, Lin KQ, Hu S, Wang X, Lei ZC, Lin HX, Ren B. Extraction of absorption and scattering contribution of metallic nanoparticles toward rational synthesis and application. Anal Chem 2014; 87:1058-65. [PMID: 25494875 DOI: 10.1021/ac503612b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Noble metal nanoparticles have unique localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), leading to their strong absorption and scattering in the visible light range. Up to date, the common practice in the selection of nanoparticles for a specific application is still based on the measured extinction spectra. This practice may be erroneous, because the extinction spectra contain both absorption and scattering contribution that may play different roles in different applications. It would be highly desirable to develop an efficient way to obtain the absorption and scattering spectra simultaneously. Herein, we develop a method to use the experimentally measured extinction and scattering signals to extract the absorption and scattering spectra that is in excellent agreement with that simulated by discrete dipole approximation (DDA). The heating curve measurement on the three types of gold nanorods, with almost the same extinction spectra but different absorption and scattering contribution, convincingly reveals an excellent correlation between the heating effect and the absorption strength rather than the extinction strength. The result demonstrates the importance to obtain the scattering and absorption spectra to predict the potential application for different types of nanoparticles, which in turn will screen efficiently nanoparticles for a specific application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bi-Ju Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, ‡The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, and §Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University , Xiamen 361005, China
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350
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Sundararaman R, Narang P, Jermyn AS, Goddard III WA, Atwater HA. Theoretical predictions for hot-carrier generation from surface plasmon decay. Nat Commun 2014; 5:5788. [PMID: 25511713 PMCID: PMC4284641 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 300] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2014] [Accepted: 11/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Decay of surface plasmons to hot carriers finds a wide variety of applications in energy conversion, photocatalysis and photodetection. However, a detailed theoretical description of plasmonic hot-carrier generation in real materials has remained incomplete. Here we report predictions for the prompt distributions of excited 'hot' electrons and holes generated by plasmon decay, before inelastic relaxation, using a quantized plasmon model with detailed electronic structure. We find that carrier energy distributions are sensitive to the electronic band structure of the metal: gold and copper produce holes hotter than electrons by 1-2 eV, while silver and aluminium distribute energies more equitably between electrons and holes. Momentum-direction distributions for hot carriers are anisotropic, dominated by the plasmon polarization for aluminium and by the crystal orientation for noble metals. We show that in thin metallic films intraband transitions can alter the carrier distributions, producing hotter electrons in gold, but interband transitions remain dominant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravishankar Sundararaman
- Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Prineha Narang
- Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
- Thomas J. Watson Laboratories of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Adam S. Jermyn
- Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
- Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - William A. Goddard III
- Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
- Materials and Process Simulation Center, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Harry A. Atwater
- Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
- Thomas J. Watson Laboratories of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
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