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Anomalously Large Spectral Shifts near the Quantum Tunnelling Limit in Plasmonic Rulers with Subatomic Resolution.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Readman, Charlie 
de Nijs, Bart 
Demetriadou, Angela  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7240-597X
Greenhalgh, Ryan 

Abstract

The resonance wavelength of a coupled plasmonic system is extremely sensitive to the distance between its metallic surfaces, resulting in "plasmon rulers". We explore this behavior in the subnanometer regime using self-assembled monolayers of bis-phthalocyanine molecules in a nanoparticle-on-mirror (NPoM) construct. These allow unprecedented subangstrom control over spacer thickness via choice of metal center, in a gap-size regime at the quantum-mechanical limit of plasmonic enhancement. A dramatic shift in the coupled plasmon resonance is observed as the gap size is varied from 0.39 to 0.41 nm. Existing theoretical models are unable to account for the observed spectral tuning, which requires inclusion of the quantum-classical interface, emphasizing the need for new treatments of light at the subnanoscale.

Description

Keywords

DFT, Nanocavities, SERS, nanoassembly, phthalocyanines, quantum plasmonics

Journal Title

Nano Lett

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1530-6984
1530-6992

Volume Title

19

Publisher

American Chemical Society (ACS)
Sponsorship
EPSRC (1645398)
EPSRC (1645398)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/L027151/1)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/L015978/1)
European Commission (235114)
Isaac Newton Trust (18.08(K))
Leverhulme Trust (ECF-2018-021)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/G060649/1)
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