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Nanoscale studies of plasmonic hot spots using super-resolution optical imaging

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Abstract

Plasmonic metal nanoparticles have the ability to act as nanoscale antennas for visible and near-IR (infrared) light, leading to increased electromagnetic fields at their surface. As a result, Raman scattering and/or fluorescence from nearby molecules can be enhanced by many orders of magnitude. However, imaging how these molecules interact with the enhanced fields at the surface of noble metal nanoparticles is a challenge due to the diffraction limit of light. In this article, we review super-resolution imaging of plasmonic hot spots using two all-optical readouts, surface-enhanced Raman scattering and surface-enhanced fluorescence, which are used to locate and track single or a few molecules on the surface of nanoscale-roughened metals. These super-resolution imaging techniques allow localization of the emission centroid of an emitter to better than 5 nm and allow mapping of the electromagnetic field enhancement experienced by molecules at the nanoparticle surface.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Texas at Austin, USA

    Maggie L. Weber & Katherine A. Willets

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  1. Maggie L. Weber
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  2. Katherine A. Willets
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Correspondence to Maggie L. Weber.

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Weber, M.L., Willets, K.A. Nanoscale studies of plasmonic hot spots using super-resolution optical imaging. MRS Bulletin 37, 745–751 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs.2012.176

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