Self-contained crystal oscillators

It is an efficient mode to optimize photocatalytic performance of semiconductors by the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect through constructing composites with noble metal nanoparticles, nevertheless, the understanding for the essential mechanism, especially the LSPR effect on band gap engineering or free radicals, is not clear. Herein, Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were decorated on popular used semiconductors, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄), through a microemulsion route. As expected, Ag/g-C₃N₄ hybrid materials demonstrated outstanding photocatalytic decomposition of organic dyes, including methyl orange, phenol and rhodamine B, in which the photocatalytic efficiency of the composite with the optimal ratio of Ag content was 3.37 times higher than that of pristine sample. The mechanism for the better photocatalytic action was attributed to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect, narrow band gap and low valance band position originated from Ag NPs, which resulted in superior visible-light adsorption and the formation of _OH with strong oxidation. As well, because of the synergy between Ag NPs and g-C₃N₄, faster separation of the photogenerated charges and efficiently utilization of the ·OH and ·O-₂ generated from hole and electron are realized simultaneously. Ultimately, our results offer a extremely understanding of superior photocatalytic property caused by the LSPR effect.

Z-scheme Cu0.5Cd0.5S/MoO3-x photocatalyst with synergistic localized surface plasmon resonance effect for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

ZnO hollow nanosphere (HNS) arrays decorated with Ag nanoparticles (NPs) were fabricated on silicon substrates using self-assembled monolayer polystyrene (PS) nanospheres as the template. The O2 plasma etching was introduced to manipulate the diameters of the ZnO HNSs. This fabrication method has the advantages of simplicity, large scale production, easy size and shape manipulations, low cost and bio-compatibility. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images show that the obtained Ag NP–ZnO HNS hybrid structures are hexagonally arranged, with the uniform size and shape, and the X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern shows that the ZnO HNS arrays are of high crystal quality and have a dominant orientation of <0001> direction. Resonant Raman scattering spectra reveal the multiphonon A1 (LO) modes of ZnO hollow nanospheres at 574, 1147 and 1725 cm−1. Enhanced resonant Raman scattering from the Ag NP modified ZnO HNSs was observed, indicating a strong energy coupling effect located at the metal/semiconductor interface. Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) application for the Ag NP decorated ZnO HNS arrays was verified using a Rhodamine 6G (R6G) chromophore as a standard analyte, which is proved to be an effective SERS template for Raman signal detection. SERS substrates with different structures have been compared, and the Ag NP modified ZnO HNS system exhibits superior Raman scattering enhancements induced by the local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect. The SERS mechanism was well explained by theoretical calculation results. This study is helpful to fabricate controllable Ag NP arrays using the ZnO HNS as the supporting structure and to understand the mechanism of bio-sensing enhancements due to the LSPR effect originated from the metal NPs and metal/semiconductor interface.

Realizing improved performance of down-conversion white organic light-emitting diodes by localized surface plasmon resonance effect of Ag nanoparticles

Localized surface plasmon resonance effect of V4C3-MXene for enhancing photothermal reduction of CO2 in full solar spectrum

Dual Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance effect enhances Nb2AlC/Nb2C MXene thermally coupled photocatalytic reduction of CO2 hydrogenation activity

We report on luminescence enhancement of organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) with silver islands (i-Ag) by a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect. The devices were fabricated using tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) as the red emission material, bis[N-(1-naphthyl)-N-phenyl] benzidine (α-NPD) as the blue emission and hole transport material, and 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (BCP) as the electron transport material. To clarify the position of emission enhancement by energy transfer from i-Ag, an ultrathin TPP layer located within the α-NPD layer. In the device with i-Ag and the TPP layer located over 10 nm from i-Ag, TPP emission was enhanced in comparison with the device without i-Ag. The enhancement of TPP emission was suggested to be the effect of the enhanced electric field resulting from LSPR excited by α-NPD emission.

Flexible zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod (NR) ultraviolet (UV)/gas dual sensors using silver (Ag) nanoparticle (NP) templates were successfully fabricated on a polyimide substrate with nickel electrodes. Arrays of Ag NPs were used as a template for the growth of ZnO NRs, which could enhance the flexibility and the sensing properties of the devices through the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect. The Ag NPs were fabricated by the rapid thermal annealing process of Ag thin films, and ZnO NRs were grown on Ag NPs to maximize the surface area and form networks with rod-to-rod contacts. Because of the LSPR effect by Ag NPs, the UV photoresponse of the ZnO NRs was amplified and the depletion region of ZnO NRs was formed quickly because of the Schottky contact with the Ag NPs. As a consequence, ZnO NR UV/gas dual sensors grown on the Ag NP template with a diameter of 28 nm exhibited the outstanding UV-sensing characteristics with a UV on-off ratio of 3628 and a rising time ( tr) and a decay time ( td) of 3.52 and 0.33 s upon UV exposure, along with excellent NO2-sensing characteristics with a stable gas on-off ratio of 288.5 and a tr and td of 38 and 62 s upon NO2 exposure. Furthermore, the sensors grown on the Ag NP template exhibited good mechanical flexibility and stable sensing properties without significant degradation even after the bending test up to 10 000 cycles at the bending radius of 5 mm.

Enhancing absorption properties of composite nanosphere and nanowire arrays by localized surface plasmon resonance shift

Surface plasmon resonance effect of silver decorated on BiOCl and its enhanced sunlight-active photodegradation of rhodamine B (RhB) dye and ofloxacin (OFL) antibiotic

The photothermal properties of dielectric materials at the nanoscale have garnered significant attention, especially in fields such as optical heating, photothermal therapy, and solar utilization. However, dielectric materials can concentrate and manipulate light at the nanoscale but cannot provide sufficient photothermal efficiency in direct absorption solar collector. Combining plasmonic metal nanoparticles with dielectric nanostructures enables hybrid nanomaterials with excellent photothermal performance to be fabricated. This study presents a novel approach involving the uniformly adhered plasmonic gold nanoparticles to dielectric silicon nanoparticles to enhance the absorption peak, leading to a substantial enhancement of photothermal conversion efficiency. The results demonstrate that the absorption peak of silicon-gold hybrid nanoparticles exceeds that of standalone silicon nanoparticles, achieving a 38% increase in photothermal conversion efficiency within a 10 ppm aqueous solution under a 20 mm optical path. The coupling of localized surface plasmon resonance and quadrupole resonance effects contributes to the strengthening of the electric field, causing a temperature rise in both the hybrid nanoparticles and the surrounding aqueous solution. Nanostructural modulation studies reveal that the photothermal efficiency of silicon-gold hybrid nanoparticles exhibits a positive correlation with gold nanoparticle size but a negative correlation with silicon nanoparticle size. Combining multiple plasmonic nanoparticles with dielectric materials can effectively enhance photothermal performance and hold great application potential in direct absorption solar collector and solar thermal utilization.

In order to increase the photocurrent of tandem solar cells with a silicon (Si) solar cell as the bottom cell, we investigate the relationship between the localized surface plasmon resonance effect of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and the arrangement of AuNPs onto solar cells. AuNPs were deposited on P-type crystalline Si (c-Si) cells and Si heterojunction (SHJ) type cells. To obtain the localized surface plasmon resonance effect, the shape, size, and arrangement of the nanostructures are important. Especially, arrangement of AuNPs onto solar cells was inquired in this study because these parameters must be adjusted appropriately to produce a plasmon resonance in a specific wavelength range. It was found that the plasmon resonance effect is significant when deposited on the surface of c-Si cell rather than on top of the Ag electrode. AuNPs deposition on the c-Si cell surface leads to not only the localized surface plasmon resonance effect but also improvement in charge transport between the c-Si cell surface and Ag electrode. However, in the SHJ-type cells, the plasmon resonance effect was not observed because the surface layer was composed of a W-doped In2O3 (IWO) layer.

The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect can effectively utilize and transform solar energy, which is an ideal candidate to solve the energy crisis. In particular, plasmon hot carriers generated by LSPR effect are the focus of current research because their energy characteristics are higher than the Fermi level, which can easily promote the chemical reaction on the catalysts and improve the photoelectric performance of the optoelectronic devices. In this review, the generation of hot carriers and their decay pathways under different nano-structured models are discussed, and their unique significance is highlighted. Meanwhile, recent research advances in cognizing the plasmon hot carriers, the role of hot carriers in various applications, and the regulating mechanism of hot carriers in the nanostructure are discussed in depth. In addition, the limitations and challenges of the current research on plasmon hot carriers are presented, and prospects for the future are proposed.

The structural advantages and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect of Ag@SiO2 nanowires when used as plasmonic antennas possess the features of fast electron transmission by 1D metal nanomaterials, high light harvesting, and electron–hole separation through the LSPR effect. By optimizing the concentration of Ag@SiO2 nanowires (0.06 wt%) in the active layer of a device, high power conversion efficiency of 18.03% and a negligible photocurrent hysteresis are obtained.

Oxygen defects coupled with LSPR effect for enhancing photocatalytic hydrogen evolution of Z-scheme 1D@2D/2D WO2.72/ZnIn2S4 composites