Nanoscale mapping of plasmon and exciton in ZnO tetrapods coupled with Au nanoparticles

Metallic nanoparticles can be used to enhance optical absorption or emission in semiconductors, thanks to a strong interaction of collective excitations of free charges (plasmons) with electromagnetic fields. Herein we present direct imaging at the nanoscale of plasmon-exciton coupling in Au/ZnO nan...

Ausführliche Beschreibung

Bibliographische Detailangaben
Hauptverfasser: Bertoni, Giovanni, Fabbri, Filippo, Villani, Marco, Lazzarini, Laura, Turner, Stuart, Van Tendeloo, Gustaaf, Calestani, Davide, Gradecak, Silvija, Zappettini, Andrea, Salviati, Giancarlo
Weitere Verfasser: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Format: Artikel
Sprache:en_US
Veröffentlicht: Nature Publishing Group 2016
Online Zugang:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/101741
Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:Metallic nanoparticles can be used to enhance optical absorption or emission in semiconductors, thanks to a strong interaction of collective excitations of free charges (plasmons) with electromagnetic fields. Herein we present direct imaging at the nanoscale of plasmon-exciton coupling in Au/ZnO nanostructures by combining scanning transmission electron energy loss and cathodoluminescence spectroscopy and mapping. The Au nanoparticles (~30 nm in diameter) are grown in-situ on ZnO nanotetrapods by means of a photochemical process without the need of binding agents or capping molecules, resulting in clean interfaces. Interestingly, the Au plasmon resonance is localized at the Au/vacuum interface, rather than presenting an isotropic distribution around the nanoparticle. On the contrary, a localization of the ZnO signal has been observed inside the Au nanoparticle, as also confirmed by numerical simulations.