Gap-Dependent Localized High Energy Multiple Dipolar Modes in Passive Silver-Coated Silica Nanoparticle Antennas

Abstract

The gap-induced plasmonic response of metallic nanoparticles drastically changes the near and far-field properties of nanoparticle antenna. Similar to a pair of metallic nanostructures, the two nanoparticles, with a dielectric core and silver shell in close proximity, exhibit multiple high energy plasmonic resonances at the short wavelength end of their optical spectrum. In this article, we have overwhelmingly investigated the disparity in the electric field of a core–shell dimer antenna when the gap between nanoparticles within the dimer becomes sub-nanometer in length. We used an electromagnetic planewave to excite the core–shell nanoparticles within the dimer. Frequency domain Finite Element Method (FEM) was employed for the numerical optical analysis of a dimer comprised of two silver-coated silica (SCS) nanoparticles in close proximity, using Computer Simulation Technology (CST) Microwave Studio. A modified Drude model has been used to predict the optical properties of the system with incorporating the size effects. The SCS dimer was numerically analyzed in the visible frequency band, and anomalies in near-field plasmonic coupling were investigated in detail. The inter-surface gap g between nanoparticles within the dimer varied in a range from 0.1 to 402 nm.

Keywords

• core–shell nanoparticles
• silver
• coupling
• near field
• Multiple dipolar modes
• gap
• Plasmons