Magnetic plasmonic nanoparticle dimer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017076844-A1
Application number	US-201514853410-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 14, 2015
Priority date	Sep 14, 2015
Publication date	Mar 16, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Described embodiments include a system, method, and apparatus. The apparatus includes a plasmonic nanoparticle dimer. The dimer includes a first plasmonic nanoparticle having a first magnetic element covered by a first negative-permittivity layer comprising a first plasmonic outer surface. The dimer includes a second plasmonic nanoparticle having a second magnetic element covered by a second negative-permittivity layer comprising a second plasmonic outer surface. The dimer includes a separation control structure configured to establish a dielectric-filled gap between the first plasmonic outer surface and the second plasmonic outer surface. A magnetic attraction between the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element binds the first plasmonic nanoparticle and the second plasmonic nanoparticle together, separated by the dielectric-filled gap established by the separation control structure. The first plasmonic outer surface, the dielectric-filled gap, and the second plasmonic outer surface are configured to cooperatively support one or more mutually coupled plasmonic excitations.

First claim

1 . An apparatus comprising:
a plasmonic nanoparticle dimer including; a first plasmonic nanoparticle having a first magnetic element at least partially covered by a first negative-permittivity layer comprising a first plasmonic outer surface; and a second plasmonic nanoparticle having a second magnetic element at least partially covered by a second negative-permittivity layer comprising a second plasmonic outer surface; and a separation control structure disposed between the first plasmonic outer surface and the second plasmonic outer surface and configured to maintain a dielectric-filled gap between the first plasmonic outer surface and the second plasmonic outer surface, wherein a magnetic attraction between the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element binds the first plasmonic nanoparticle and the second plasmonic nanoparticle together, separated by the dielectric-filled gap maintained by the separation control structure, and wherein the first plasmonic outer surface, the dielectric-filled gap, and the second plasmonic outer surface are configured to cooperatively support bonding surface plasmons.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first negative-permittivity layer includes a metallic layer.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second negative-permittivity layer includes a metallic layer.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic element includes a ferromagnetic or paramagnetic element.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic element includes a permanent magnetic element.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic element includes a magnetisable element.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the separation control structure includes a non-electrically conductive separation control structure.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the separation control structure includes a dielectric film or dielectric coating applied to the first plasmonic nanoparticle.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the separation control structure includes at least one dielectric element projecting outward from the first plasmonic outer surface.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the separation control structure includes a dielectric spacer element coupled with the first plasmonic outer surface.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the separation control structure includes a dielectric-filled gap separating the first plasmonic outer surface from the second plasmonic outer surface.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the separation control structure is configured to establish or maintain a selected dielectric-filled gap between the first plasmonic outer surface and the second plasmonic outer surface.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the separation control structure is configured to establish or maintain a dielectric-filled gap between the first plasmonic outer surface and the second plasmonic outer surface.

14 . (canceled)

15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric-filled gap is less than a maximum chord length of the first plasmonic nanoparticle.

16 .- 17 . (canceled)

18 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric-filled gap is less than about 50 nm.

19 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric-filled gap is less than about 20 nm.

20 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric-filled gap is less than about 10 nm.

21 . (canceled)

22 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
the plasmonic nanoparticle dimer in a gas, fluid, or solid colloidal.

23 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
the plasmonic nanoparticle dimer in a colloidal suspension.

24 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
the plasmonic nanoparticle dimer in a colloidal solution.

25 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plasmonic nanoparticle dimer is configured to have a selected resonant band frequency signature or profile.

26 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plasmonic nanoparticle dimer is configured to have a selected optical absorption spectrum.

27 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plasmonic nanoparticle dimer is configured to have a selected Raman scattering signature or profile.

28 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plasmonic nanoparticle dimer includes a plasmonic nanoparticle trimer, and the trimer includes a third plasmonic nanoparticle having a third magnetic element at least partially covered by a third negative-permittivity layer comprising a third plasmonic outer surface.

29 . A system comprising:
a mixture of a plurality of plasmonic nanoparticle dimers in a dispersion medium; each plasmonic nanoparticle dimer of the plurality of plasmonic nanoparticle dimers including;
a first plasmonic nanoparticle having a first magnetic element at least partially covered by a first negative-permittivity layer comprising a first plasmonic outer surface; and
a second plasmonic nanoparticle having a second magnetic element at least partially covered by a second negative-permittivity layer comprising a second plasmonic outer surface; and
a separation control structure configured to maintain a dielectric-filled gap between the first plasmonic outer surface and the second plasmonic outer surface, wherein a magnetic attraction between the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element binds the first plasmonic nanoparticle and the second plasmonic nanoparticle together, separated by the dielectric-filled gap maintained by the separation control structure, wherein the first plasmonic outer surface, the dielectric-filled gap, and the second plasmonic outer surface are configured to cooperatively support bonding surface plasmons; and the dispersion medium.

30 . The system of claim 29 , wherein the mixture includes a colloidal.

31 .- 32 . (canceled)

33 . The system of claim 29 , wherein the dispersion medium includes a fluid.

34 . The system of claim 29 , wherein the dispersion medium includes a solid.

35 . (canceled)

36 . The system of claim 29 , further comprising:
a capsule configured to hold the mixture.

37 .- 38 . (canceled)

39 . (canceled)

40 . (canceled)

41 . (canceled)

42 . (canceled)

43 .- 44 . (canceled)

45 . (canceled)

46 . (canceled)

47 . (canceled)

48 . (canceled)

49 . (canceled)

50 . (canceled)

51 . (canceled)

52 . (canceled)

53 . (canceled)

54 . (canceled)

55 . (canceled)

56 . An apparatus comprising:
a plasmonic nanoparticle dimer including;
a first plasmonic nanoparticle having a first magnetic element at least partially covered by a first negative-permittivity layer comprising a first plasmonic outer surface; and
a second plasmonic nanoparticle having a second magnetic element at least partially covered by a second negative-permittivity layer comprising a second plasmonic outer surface; and
a separation control structure configured

Assignees

• Elwha Llc

Inventors

• Akselrod Gleb M
• Hyde Roderick A
• Ishikawa Muriel Y
• Kare Jordin T
• Mikkelsen Maiken H
• Pan Tony S
• Smith David R
• Tegreene Clarence T
• Urzhumov Yaroslav A
• Whitmer Charles
• Wood Jr Lowell L
• Wood Victoria Y H

Classifications

• H01F1/0018

  Diamagnetic or paramagnetic materials, i.e. materials with low susceptibility and no hysteresis (H01F1/0036 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01F1/06 Primary

  in the form of particles, e.g. powder (H01F1/047 takes precedence {; record carriers G11B5/70605}) · CPC title

• H01F1/0045 Primary

  Zero dimensional, e.g. nanoparticles, soft nanoparticles for medical/biological use (preparation of fullerenes in general C01B32/15) · CPC title

• H01F1/20

  in the form of particles, e.g. powder (H01F1/147 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B5/008

  Surface plasmon devices (diffractive gratings with a pitch less than or comparable to the wavelength G02B5/1809; surface plasmons in integrated optics G02B6/1226; optical analysis of materials by means of surface plasmons G01N21/553) · CPC title