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Coviello V, Badocco D, Pastore P, Fracchia M, Ghigna P, Martucci A, Forrer D, Amendola V. Accurate prediction of the optical properties of nanoalloys with both plasmonic and magnetic elements. Nat Commun 2024; 15:834. [PMID: 38280888 PMCID: PMC10821890 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45137-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The alloying process plays a pivotal role in the development of advanced multifunctional plasmonic materials within the realm of modern nanotechnology. However, accurate in silico predictions are only available for metal clusters of just a few nanometers, while the support of modelling is required to navigate the broad landscape of components, structures and stoichiometry of plasmonic nanoalloys regardless of their size. Here we report on the accurate calculation and conceptual understanding of the optical properties of metastable alloys of both plasmonic (Au) and magnetic (Co) elements obtained through a tailored laser synthesis procedure. The model is based on the density functional theory calculation of the dielectric function with the Hubbard-corrected local density approximation, the correction for intrinsic size effects and use of classical electrodynamics. This approach is built to manage critical aspects in modelling of real samples, as spin polarization effects due to magnetic elements, short-range order variability, and size heterogeneity. The method provides accurate results also for other magnetic-plasmonic (Au-Fe) and typical plasmonic (Au-Ag) nanoalloys, thus being available for the investigation of several other nanomaterials waiting for assessment and exploitation in fundamental sectors such as quantum optics, magneto-optics, magneto-plasmonics, metamaterials, chiral catalysis and plasmon-enhanced catalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vito Coviello
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Università di Padova, via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Denis Badocco
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Università di Padova, via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Paolo Pastore
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Università di Padova, via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Martina Fracchia
- University of Pavia, Department of Chemistry, viale Taramelli 16, 27100, Pavia, Italy
- INSTM, National Inter-University Consortium for Materials Science and Technology, Via G. Giusti 9, 50121, Florence, Italy
| | - Paolo Ghigna
- University of Pavia, Department of Chemistry, viale Taramelli 16, 27100, Pavia, Italy
- INSTM, National Inter-University Consortium for Materials Science and Technology, Via G. Giusti 9, 50121, Florence, Italy
| | - Alessandro Martucci
- INSTM, National Inter-University Consortium for Materials Science and Technology, Via G. Giusti 9, 50121, Florence, Italy
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 9, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Daniel Forrer
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Università di Padova, via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy.
- CNR - ICMATE, via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy.
| | - Vincenzo Amendola
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Università di Padova, via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy.
- INSTM, National Inter-University Consortium for Materials Science and Technology, Via G. Giusti 9, 50121, Florence, Italy.
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Cortie MB, Arnold MD, Keast VJ. The Quest for Zero Loss: Unconventional Materials for Plasmonics. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2020; 32:e1904532. [PMID: 31789443 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201904532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Revised: 09/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
There has been an ongoing quest to optimize the materials used to build plasmonic devices: first the elements were investigated, then alloys and intermetallic compounds, later semiconductors were considered, and, most recently, there has been interest in using more exotic materials such as topological insulators and conducting oxides. The quality of the plasmon resonances in these materials is closely correlated with their structure and properties. In general gold and silver are the most commonly specified materials for these applications but they do have weaknesses. Here, it is shown how, in specific circumstances, the selection of certain other materials might be more useful. Candidate alternatives include Tix N, VO2 , Al, Cu, Al-doped ZnO, and Cu-Al alloys. The relative merits of these choices and the many pitfalls and subtle problems that arise are discussed, and a frank perspective on the field is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael B Cortie
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Matthew D Arnold
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Vicki J Keast
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, 2308, Australia
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Collette R, Wu Y, Olafsson A, Camden JP, Rack PD. Combinatorial Thin Film Sputtering Au xAl 1- x Alloys: Correlating Composition and Structure with Optical Properties. ACS COMBINATORIAL SCIENCE 2018; 20:633-642. [PMID: 30277750 DOI: 10.1021/acscombsci.8b00091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The Au-Al alloy system was investigated via a combinatorial thin film sputtering method for its potential as a plasmonic material. Au xAl1- x combinatorial libraries were cosputtered from Au and Al elemental targets and the composition, phase, and dielectric function of a ∼350 nm film was determined using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), and spectroscopic ellipsometry, respectively. The phase evolution and optical properties were analyzed after annealing various compositions under a vacuum. The phases present matched the expected phases based on the published Al-Au binary phase diagram at all compositions. Interestingly, the mixed phase Al-AuAl2 region showed the most optical tunability, where a maximum in the real part of the dielectric function progressively shifted to higher energy for increasing gold concentration. For almost pure AuAl2, the imaginary component is largely reduced in the visible range and is comparable to that of pure Al in the UV region. A 20-nm-thick film with composition Au0.74Al0.26 was studied using a (scanning) transmission electron microscope with an in situ laser heating system. The structures of the as-deposited and laser annealed films were determined using selected area diffraction and the bulk plasmon of AuAl2 and Al realized with electron energy loss spectroscopy. Last, the Au-rich solid solution region was investigated as a surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate using the benezenethiol (BT) molecule. Good SERS intensity was maintained up to 30% Al addition where enhancements of 105 to 107 were still observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn Collette
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Yueying Wu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame,Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Agust Olafsson
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame,Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Jon P. Camden
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame,Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Philip D. Rack
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
- Center for Nanophase Materials Science, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
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Amendola V, Pilot R, Frasconi M, Maragò OM, Iatì MA. Surface plasmon resonance in gold nanoparticles: a review. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2017; 29:203002. [PMID: 28426435 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/aa60f3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 565] [Impact Index Per Article: 80.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
In the last two decades, plasmon resonance in gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) has been the subject of intense research efforts. Plasmon physics is intriguing and its precise modelling proved to be challenging. In fact, plasmons are highly responsive to a multitude of factors, either intrinsic to the Au NPs or from the environment, and recently the need emerged for the correction of standard electromagnetic approaches with quantum effects. Applications related to plasmon absorption and scattering in Au NPs are impressively numerous, ranging from sensing to photothermal effects to cell imaging. Also, plasmon-enhanced phenomena are highly interesting for multiple purposes, including, for instance, Raman spectroscopy of nearby analytes, catalysis, or sunlight energy conversion. In addition, plasmon excitation is involved in a series of advanced physical processes such as non-linear optics, optical trapping, magneto-plasmonics, and optical activity. Here, we provide the general overview of the field and the background for appropriate modelling of the physical phenomena. Then, we report on the current state of the art and most recent applications of plasmon resonance in Au NPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Amendola
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, via Marzolo 1, I-35131 Padova, Italy. Consorzio INSTM, UdR Padova, Italy
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