Electron energy-loss spectroscopy on three dimensional plasmonic nanostructures

• Applicants: Dr. Stephan Irsen; Professor Dr. Stefan Linden
• Subject Area: Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
• Term: from 2016 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 289570250

In the proposed project, we intend to establish electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) as a versatile characterization method for the plasmonic near-field of three dimensional metallic nanostructures. For this purpose, we will perform proof-of-principle studies on a number of different plasmonic systems whose specific properties result from the three-dimensional shape of the structures or depend critically on their thickness. In contrast to most previous experiments, in which the nanostructures have been examined with the electron beam only from a single direction, we will use angular resolved EELS to probe different vector components of the plasmonic near-field. The combination of spatially resolved spectroscopy with EELS and optical far-field spectroscopy will allow us to trace back the optical properties of the three-dimensional plasmonic systems to their specific near-field distributions.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants