The interest in nanoscale materials stems from the fact that new properties are acquired at this length scale and, equally important, that these properties * To whom correspondence should be addressed. Phone, 404-8940292; fax, 404-894-0294; e-mail, mostafa.el-sayed@ chemistry.gatech.edu. † Case Western Reserve UniversitysMillis 2258. ‡ Phone, 216-368-5918; fax, 216-368-3006; e-mail, burda@case.edu. § Georgia Institute of Technology. 1025 Chem. Rev. 2005, 105, 1025−1102

Chemistry and properties of nanocrystals of different shapes.

12.2.2. Four-Wave Mixing (FWM) 4849 12.2.3. Dye Aggregation 4850 12.2.4. Optoelectronic Nanodevices 4850 12.3. Sensor 4851 12.3.1. Chemical Sensor 4851 12.3.2. Biological Sensor 4851 12.4. Catalysis 4852 13. Conclusion and Perspectives 4852 14. Abbreviations 4853 15. Acknowledgements 4854 16. References 4854 * Corresponding author E-mail: tpal@chem.iitkgp.ernet.in. † Raidighi College. § Indian Institute of Technology. 4797 Chem. Rev. 2007, 107, 4797−4862

Interparticle Coupling Effect on the Surface Plasmon Resonance of Gold Nanoparticles: From Theory to Applications

Gold nanorods: Synthesis, characterization and applications

Noble metal particles have long fascinated scientists because of their intense color, which led to their application in stained glass windows as early as the Middle Ages. The recent resurrection of colloidal and cluster chemistry has brought about the strive for new materials that allow a bottoms-up approach of building improved and new devices with nanoparticles or artificial atoms. In this review, we discuss some of the properties of individual and some assembled metallic nanoparticles with a focus on their interaction with cw and pulsed laser light of different energies. The potential application of the plasmon resonance as sensors is discussed.

Optical properties and ultrafast dynamics of metallic nanocrystals.

Optically excited plasmonic nanoparticles can activate chemical reactions on their surfaces. The underlying physical mechanisms responsible for the chemical activity and advances in photocatalysis on plasmonic metallic nanostructures are discussed. The strong interaction of electromagnetic fields with plasmonic nanomaterials offers opportunities in various technologies that take advantage of photophysical processes amplified by this light–matter interaction. Recently, it has been shown that in addition to photophysical processes, optically excited plasmonic nanoparticles can also activate chemical transformations directly on their surfaces. This potentially offers a number of opportunities in the field of selective chemical synthesis. In this Review we summarize recent progress in the field of photochemical catalysis on plasmonic metallic nanostructures. We discuss the underlying physical mechanisms responsible for the observed chemical activity, and the issues that must be better understood to see progress in the field of plasmon-mediated photocatalysis.

http://www-nature-com-443.webvpn.bjmu.tsg211.com/articles/nmat4281.pdf

Photochemical transformations on plasmonic metal nanoparticles

The femtosecond optical response of noble metal nanoparticles and its connection to the ultrafast electron dynamics are discussed in light of the results of high-sensitivity femtosecond pump−probe experiments. The physical origins of the nonlinear responses in the vicinity of the surface plasmon resonance and interband transition threshold are analyzed using extension of the theoretical models used in the bulk materials. These responses contain information on the electron interaction processes (electron−electron and electron−phonon scattering) that can thus be directly investigated in the time domain. Their size and environment dependences are discussed, and the results are compared to the ones in the bulk materials. Time-resolved techniques also permit direct study of the vibrational modes of metal nanoparticles and, in particular, the determination of their damping, which is a sensitive probe of the nature of the surrounding matrix and of the interface quality.

Ultrafast Electron Dynamics and Optical Nonlinearities in Metal Nanoparticles

The optical response of hybrid metal–semiconductor nanoparticles exhibits different behaviors due to the proximity between the disparate materials. For some hybrid systems, such as CdS–Au matchstick-shaped hybrids, the particles essentially retain the optical properties of their original components, with minor changes. Other systems, such as CdSe–Au dumbbell-shaped nanoparticles, exhibit significant change in the optical properties due to strong coupling between the two materials. Here, we study the absorption of these hybrids by comparing experimental results with simulations using the discrete dipole approximation method (DDA) employing dielectric functions of the bare components as inputs. For CdS–Au nanoparticles, the DDA simulation provides insights on the gold tip shape and its interface with the semiconductor, information that is difficult to acquire by experimental means alone. Furthermore, the qualitative agreement between DDA simulations and experimental data for CdS–Au implies that most effects...

Absorption properties of metal-semiconductor hybrid nanoparticles.

Developments of optical detection and spectroscopy methods for single nano-objects are key advances for applications and fundamental understanding of the novel properties exhibited by nanosize systems. These methods are reviewed, focusing on far-field optical approaches based on light absorption and elastic scattering. The principles of the main linear and nonlinear methods are described and experimental results are illustrated in the case of metal nanoparticles, stressing the key role played by the object environment, such as the presence of a substrate, bound surface molecules or other nano-objects. Special attention is devoted to quantitative methods and correlation of the measured optical spectra of a nano-object with its morphology, characterized either optically or by electron microscopy, as this permits precise comparison with theoretical models. Application of these methods to optical detection and spectroscopy for single semiconductor nanowires and carbon nanotubes is also presented. Extension to ultrafast nonlinear extinction or scattering spectroscopies of single nano-objects is finally discussed in the context of investigation of their nonlinear optical response and their electronic, acoustic and thermal properties.

Optical absorption and scattering spectroscopies of single nano-objects

The acoustic response of surface-controlled metal (Pt) nanoparticles is investigated in the small size range, between 1.3 and 3 nm (i.e., 75−950 atoms), using time-resolved spectroscopy. Acoustic vibration of the nanoparticles is demonstrated, with frequencies ranging from 1.1 to 2.6 THz, opening the way to the development of THz acoustic resonators. The frequencies, measured with a noncontact optical method, are in excellent agreement with the prediction of a macroscopic approach based on the continuous elastic model, together with the bulk material elastic constants. This demonstrates the validity of this model at the nanoscale and the weak impact of size reduction on the elastic properties of a material, even for nanoparticles formed by less than 100 atoms.

Natalia Del Fatti

Papers

Ultrafast Electron Dynamics and Optical Nonlinearities in Metal Nanoparticles

Absorption properties of metal-semiconductor hybrid nanoparticles.

Optical absorption and scattering spectroscopies of single nano-objects

Probing Elasticity at the Nanoscale: Terahertz Acoustic Vibration of Small Metal Nanoparticles

Acoustic vibrations of metal nano-objects: Time-domain investigations