Broadening of plasmonic resonance due to electron collisions with nanoparticle boundary: quantum-mechanical consideration

TL;DR

This paper introduces a quantum mechanical method to calculate how electron-surface collisions broaden plasmonic resonances in metallic nanostructures, applicable to various nanoparticle configurations.

Contribution

A novel quantum approach for quantifying plasmon resonance broadening due to electron-surface collisions in nanostructures.

Findings

Applicable when structure size exceeds de Broglie wavelength

Suitable for single and arrayed nanoparticles

Provides a quantum-mechanical framework for resonance broadening

Abstract

We present a quantum mechanical approach to calculate broadening of plasmonic resonances in metallic nanostructures due to collisions of electrons with the surface of the structure. The approach is applicable if the characteristic size of the structure is much larger than the de Broglie electron wavelength in the metal. The approach can be used in studies of plasmonic properties of both single nanoparticles and arrays of nanoparticles.