We study the optical response of eccentric nanoshells (i.e., spherical nanoparticles with an eccentric spherical inclusion) in the near and the far field through finite-difference time-domain simulations. Plasmon hybridization theory is used to explain the obtained results. The eccentricity generates a far-field optical spectrum with various plasmon peaks. The number, position, and width of the...

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have gained significant interest as nanovectors for combined imaging and photothermal therapy of tumors. Delivered systemically, GNPs preferentially accumulate at the tumor site via the enhanced permeability and retention effect, and when irradiated with near infrared light, produce sufficient heat to treat tumor tissue. The efficacy of this process strongly depends on...

In this study, high resolution backward-mode photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) is used to noninvasively image progressive extravasation and accumulation of nanoshells within a solid tumor in vivo. PAM takes advantage of the strong near-infrared absorption of nanoshells and their extravasation tendency from leaky tumor vasculatures for imaging. Subcutaneous tumors are grown on immunocompetent BALB/...

Abstract Concentric double metallic shells (CDMSs) are strong candidates for photothermal-based therapy, wherein they utilize their tuned plasmon resonance in the near-infrared region via particle coupling factor fitting. Tuning of CDMSs to desired is crucial considering shift caused by variations design parameters. In this study, we investigated effects these parameters using full-wave electro...

We report on a pilot study showing a proof of concept for the passive delivery of nanoshells to an orthotopic tumor where they induce a local, confined therapeutic response distinct from that of normal brain resulting in the photothermal ablation of canine transmissible venereal tumor (cTVT) in a canine brain model. cTVT fragments grown in severe combined immunodeficient mice were successfully ...

In this article we study the plasmonic behavior of some stable, highly biocompatible bimetallic metal-dielectric-metal (MDM) and double concentric nanoshell (DCN) structures. By simply switching the material of the inner structure from Au to Ag, the intensity of their surface plasmon resonance could be increased in the optical transparency region of the human tissues up to 20 and 60 percent for...