Plasmonic Metal Oxide Nanocrystals for Near-Field Coupling

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

In this project funded by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry program of the Chemistry Division, Professor Delia Milliron of the University of Texas at Austin is developing doped metal oxide nanocrystals that can exchange energy with nearby molecules. These new nanoscale building blocks can be widely applied by chemists, materials scientists, and engineers to create functional materials and devices. Professor Milliron is mentoring graduate student, postdoctoral, and undergraduate researchers who are receiving a unique interdisciplinary educational experience, gaining expertise in topics including nanocrystal synthesis, spectroscopy, and simulation of light-matter interactions. Furthermore, Professor Milliron is developing a new educational module for use in pre-college outreach programs that introduce students to plasmonic phenomena and nanochemistry in general.Nanocrystals under development in this project have resonant frequencies in the infrared spectral regime, different from the visible light resonance of classical metal nanoparticles such as gold or silver. Synthetic methods to tune dopant chemistry and dopant distribution are being developed to maximize the potential for near field coupling. Characterization of plasmon-vibrational coupling by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy complements the synthetic developments underway and lays the foundation for directing energy flow to tune catalytic pathways and to develop advanced sensors and spectroscopic probes.