Heat generation in plasmonic nanostructures has attracted enormous attention due to the ability of these nanostructures to generate high temperatures in nanoscale volumes using far-field irradiation, enabling applications ranging from photothermal therapy to fast (sub-nanosecond) thermal optical switching. Here we investigate the optical and thermal response of a heterogeneous trimer structure ...

The plasmonic properties of bimetallic (gold and silver) core-shell nanostructures were studied numerically by using the boundary element method implemented in MATLAB (MNPBEM toolbox). dependence bulk refractive index sensitivity on core/shell thicknesses was investigated, regions enhanced sensitivities identified for both Ag@Au Au@Ag type nanostructures. For nanoparticles, utilizing a 14 ± 2 n...

We report the fabrication of broadband antireflective silicon (Si) nanostructures fabricated using spin-coated silver (Ag) nanoparticles as an etch mask followed by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching process. This fabrication technique is a simple, fast, cost-effective, and high-throughput method, making it highly suitable for mass production. Prior to the fabrication of Si nanostructures...

We have demonstrated a surface plasmon polariton mediated optical Moiré effect by inserting a silver slab between two subwavelength gratings. Enhancement of the evanescent fields by the surface plasmon excitations on the silver slab leads to a remarkable contrast improvement in the Moiré fringes from two subwavelength gratings. Numerical calculations, which agree very well with the experimental...

In this paper, we report that cube-like Ag/AgCl nanostructures could be facilely fabricated in a one-pot manner through a direct-precipitation protocol under ambient conditions, wherein no additional issues such as external energy (e.g., high temperature or high pressure), surfactants, or reducing agents are required. In terms of using sodium chloride (NaCl) as chlorine source and silver acetat...

We present a new technology that offers a faster alternative to the chemiluminescence-based detection that is used in protein assay platforms today. By combining the use of silver nanostructures with chemiluminescent species, a technique that our laboratories have recently shown can enhance the system photon flux over 50-fold, with the use of low-power microwave heating to additionally accelera...

Fluorescence detection is the basis of most assays used in drug discovery and High Throughput Screening (HTS) today. In all of these assays, assay rapidity and sensitivity is a primary concern, the sensitivity determined by both the quantum yield of the fluorophores and efficiency of the detection system, while rapidity is determined by the physical and biophysical parameters of temperature, co...

Spin-dependent transport in granular metallic nanostructures has been investigated by means of a thermoelectric measurement. Cobalt clusters of well-defined size (〈n〉 = 15− 600) embedded in copper and silver matrices show magnetic field responses of up to several hundred percent at low temperature. The experimental observations are identified as due to spin mixing. The influence of cluster size...

We theoretically study light propagation through sub-wavelength apertures on a silver substrate filled with GaAs, in the enhanced transmission regime. We predict enhanced conversion efficiencies even under high absorption conditions. ©2010 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: (240.6680) Surface Plasmon, (120.7000) Transmission, (240.3695) Linear and nonlinear light scattering from surfaces, (...

Morphological control of multimetallic nanostructures is crucial for obtaining shape-dependent physical and chemical properties. Up to date, control of the shapes of multimetallic nanostructures has remained largely empirical. Multimetallic nanostructures have been produced mostly through seed-mediated growth. Understanding the role played by starting nanocrystal seeds can help in controlling t...