Propagation of plasmons in designed single crystalline silver nanostructures

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the successful propagation of plasmons in single crystalline silver nanostructures, fabricated through combined bottom-up and top-down methods, with observed cavity effects and visible spectral propagation.

Contribution

It introduces a novel fabrication process for single crystalline silver nanostructures and demonstrates plasmon propagation within them, including cavity effects.

Findings

Plasmon propagation observed in silver nanowires.

Cavity effects detected via emission spectrum.

Propagation occurs in the visible spectral region.

Abstract

We demonstrate propagation of plasmons in single crystalline silver nanostructures fabricated using a combination of a bottom-up and a top-down approach. Silver nanoplates of thickness around 65 nm and a surface area of about 100 \mu m^2 are made using a wet chemical method. Silver nanotips and nanowires are then sculptured by focused ion beam milling. The plasmons are excited by using the fluorescence from the redeposited silver clusters during the milling process. Propagation of plasmons in the nanowires is observed in the visible spectral region. We also observe a cavity effect by measuring the emission spectrum from the distal wire end.