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An equilateral triangular prism is used as the fundamental building block to con- struct additive Sierpinski fractals, enabling new surface plasmon resonances (SPR) in the first three generations of Sierpinski triangles, as well as topological intermediaries between generations. The modes are characterized using electron energy loss spectroscopy accompanied by eigenmode calculations and optical finite-difference time domain simulations. The complex fractal geometries present a predictable hierarchy of new resonances, each arising from the previous generational building blocks used to construct the fractal. Intermediate structures break the polarization degeneracy of the equilateral fractals while maintaining a rich multiband spectral response. Engineering defects in the narrow conductive channels of the fractal allows further manipulation of the SPR response, emphasizing higher order SPR modes over the lowest energy peak. The knowledge gained is used to develop guidelines for engineering the response of more complex fractal-based structures, including the spectral response and hotspot distribution.

The surface plasmon response of a cross-sectional segment of a wrinkled gold film is studied using electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). EELS data demonstrate that wrinkled gold structures act as a suitable substrate for surface plasmons to propagate. The intense surface variations in these structures facilitate the resonance of a wide range of surface plasmons, leading to the broadband surface plasmon response of these geometries from the near-infrared to visible wavelengths. The metallic nanoparticle boundary element method toolbox is used to simulate plasmon eigenmodes in these structures. Eigenmode simulations show how the diverse morphology of the wrinkled structure leads to its high spectral complexity. Micron-sized structural features that do not provide interactions between segments of the wrinkle have only a small effect on the surface plasmon resonance response, whereas nanofeatures strongly affect the resonant modes of the geometry. According to eigenmode calculations, different eigenenergy shifts around the sharp folds contribute to the broadband response and infrared activity of these structures; these geometrical features also support higher energy (shorter wavelength) symmetric and anti-symmetric plasmon coupling across the two sides of the folds. It is also shown that additional plasmon eigenstates are introduced from hybridization of modes across nanogaps between structural features in close proximity to each other. All of these factors contribute to the broadband response of the wrinkled gold structures.

Enhanced electromagnetic fields in nanometer gaps of plasmonic structures increase the optical interaction with matter, including Raman scattering and optical absorption. Quantum electron tunneling across sub-1 nm gaps, however, lowers these effects again. Understanding these phenomena requires controlled variation of gap sizes. Mechanically actuated plasmonic antennas enable repeatable tuning of gap sizes from the weak-coupling over the quantum-electron-tunneling to the direct-electrical-contact regime. Gap sizes are controlled electrically via leads that only weakly disturb plasmonic modes. Conductance signals show a near-continuous transition from electron tunneling to metallic contact. As the antenna's absorption cross-section is reduced, thermal expansion effects are negligible, in contrast to conventional break-junctions. Optical scattering spectra reveal first continuous red shifts for decreasing gap sizes and then blue shifts below gaps of 0.3 nm. The approach provides pathways to study opto- and electromolecular processes at the limit of plasmonic sensing.

The coupling of plasmonic resonances is an effective tool to tailor the optical properties of nanostructures. However, the coupling of higher order plasmonic resonances has not received much attention, with most studies focusing on the interaction of dipolar modes. Taking advantage of the high spatial and energy resolution of modern scanning transmission electron microscopes equipped with electron energy loss spectroscopy, we analyze the coupling of edge modes in planar nanostructures with emphasis on the interaction of high order modes and the formation of gap modes. We show that coupling of edge modes can be understood by a simple and intuitive scheme, with three regimes: First, a strong coupling through the edge of the structure resulting in bonding and antibonding gap edge modes; second, coupling through the corners of the structures resulting in bonding and antibonding corner edge modes; and a third behavior where the edge modes do not couple and behave independently of the rest of the structure. The...

The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) modes of the first three generations of a Sierpiński fractal triangle are investigated using electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) complemented with finite difference time domain simulations. The Sierpiński fractal geometry is created in a subtractive manner, by carving triangular apertures into the triangular prism of the previous fractal generation. The ability of the fractal antenna to efficiently utilize space in coupling to long wavelength excitations is confirmed on the single nanostructure level via redshifting of the primary dipole mode as the fractal generation is increased. Through application of the Babinet principle, it is demonstrated that this spectral shift is caused by coupling of two orthogonal dipolar modes of a single triangle with two orthogonal dipole modes of the triangular aperture occupying the centre of the first generation fractal. It is also shown that the spectral position and strength of the dipole mode can be tuned by altering the size of the central 1 aperture, and thus the capacitance of the equivalent circuit, and the width of the conductive channels joining different fractal building blocks, thereby altering the circuit inductance. Importantly, placing the aperture on an anti-node of the SPR mode causes a shift in energy of this mode without changing the charge configuration; placing the aperture on a node of the SPR mode causes no shift in energy, but changes the field configuration, as revealed through EELS measurements. These fractal-specific properties provide new strategies to design, predict, and effectively exploit highly tunable SPR modes using simple building blocks.

We present the surface plasmon resonance modes in three-dimensional (3D) upright split ring resonators (SRR) as studied by correlative cathodoluminescence (CL) spectroscopy in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) in a transmission electron microscope. We discuss the challenges inherent in studying the plasmon modes of a 3D nanostructure and how meeting these challenges benefits from the complementary use of EELS and SEM-CL. With the use of EELS, we detect a strong first order mode in the SRR; with comparison to simulations, we are able to identify this as the well-known magnetic dipole moment of the SRR. Combining the EELS spectra with SEM-CL on the same structure reveals the higher order modes present in this 3D nanostructure, which we link to the coupling and hybridization of rim modes present in the two upright hollow pillars of the split ring.

We investigate the plasmonic behavior of Koch snowflake fractal geometries and their possible application as broadband optical antennas. Lithographically defined planar silver Koch fractal antennas were fabricated and characterized with high spatial and spectral resolution using electron energy loss spectroscopy. The experimental data are supported by numerical calculations carried out with a surface integral equation method. Multiple surface plasmon edge modes supported by the fractal structures have been imaged and analyzed. Furthermore, by isolating and reproducing self-similar features in long silver strip antennas, the edge modes present in the Koch snowflake fractals are identified. We demonstrate that the fractal response can be obtained by the sum of basic self-similar segments called characteristic edge units. Interestingly, the plasmon edge modes follow a fractal-scaling rule that depends on these self-similar segments formed in the structure after a fractal iteration. As the size of a fractal structure is reduced, coupling of the modes in the characteristic edge units becomes relevant, and the symmetry of the fractal affects the formation of hybrid modes. This analysis can be utilized not only to understand the edge modes in other planar structures but also in the design and fabrication of fractal structures for nanophotonic applications.

Nanoscale split ring resonators (SRRs) have been a popular topic of study due to their surface plasmon resonance (SPR) modes and their many interesting interactions with light. They can be used as components in metamaterials exhibiting, among other properties, a negative refractive index. The surface plasmon properties of these structures are strongly dependent on their size and spatial arrangement. Most studies so far have focussed on the horizontal SRR due to the ease of fabrication. However, there are some advantages to be gained in the design of materials using upright SRRs. We are studying a structure composed of four upright SRRs as shown in Figure 1. The coupling of these four upright SRRs produces a magnetic dipole moment and a toroidal dipole moment. The toroidal dipole moment, when compared to electric and magnetic dipole moments, shows a higher quality factor and lower gain threshold for a nanoscale laser analogue, the spaser (surface plasmon amplification by stimulated emission of radiation) [1]. The presence of a strong toroidal dipole moment isolated from magnetic and electric dipole moments makes the structure under study a promising candidate for a spaser for use in on-chip telecommunications. A similar structure was first realized experimentally in the microwave regime of the electromagnetic spectrum [2]. Scaling the geometry down to nanoscale dimensions has been shown by simulation to shift the toroidal dipole energies into the near infra-red regime [1]. In this work we demonstrate the experimental fabrication (Figure 2) and characterization of this structure using electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), with confirmation of the modes provided by finite element method (FEM) simulations. We have fabricated this structure using a double patterning process in electron beam lithography, with precise alignment of the second lithography layer to the first. The structures are made from gold deposited on a 50 nm thick silicon nitride membrane. We probe the plasmon modes using EELS on a monochromated scanning transmission electron microscope, collecting spectrum images with nanometer spatial resolution and 60 meV energy resolution. We extract site-specific spectra (Figure 3a) and energy-resolved maps of the SPR modes (Figure 3b, c). We apply the Richardson-Lucy algorithm to further increase the effective energy resolution and identify the magnetic and toroidal dipole modes at energies of 0.52 eV and 0.72 eV, with SPR maps as shown in Figure 3b and 3c, respectively. We are able to correlate our EELS results with COMSOL Multiphysics FEM simulations. The simulated SPR response is given in Figure 3a, d, and e, showing close agreement in the peaks with our experimental data. Simulations confirm the low energy magnetic dipole mode (0.56 eV) and reveal two closely spaced toroidal dipole modes (0.61 eV, 0.66 eV) which are not perfectly resolved in the EELS data. We are able to tune the energy and strength of the toroidal dipole moment through tuning of the fabrication parameters; with careful design this structure is a promising spaser design for a range of applications near telecommunications frequencies. Keywords: surface plasmon resonance; EELS; split ring resonator; toroidal dipole

Molecular dynamic simulations are used to model the vibrational bending modes of graphene ribbons of several sizes to calculate frequencies of the ribbons and determine the relationship between the size of the ribbon and their corresponding resonance frequencies. These ribbons can be utilized to fabricate several types of vibronic devices such as NEMS, sensors, terahertz generators, and devices for encoding, transferring, and processing information. The interaction of a graphene vibronic device with water and isopropyl alcohol molecules demonstrates that this device can be used as a very sensitive vibronic molecular sensor that is able to distinguish the chemical nature of the sensed molecule. The electrical properties of the graphene vibronic devices are also calculated for two cases, armchair and zigzag border. The zigzag border demonstrated in this work has the potential to generate THz electrical signals.

Using molecular dynamics simulations and a hybrid Tersoff-ZBL potential, the effects of irradiating graphene with a carbon ion at several positions and several energies from 0.1 eV to 100 keV are studied. The simulations show four types of processes: absorption, reflection, transmission, and vacancy formation. At energies below 10 eV, the dominant process is reflection; between 10 and 100 eV, it is absorption; and between 100 eV and 100 keV, the dominant process is transmission. Vacancy formation is a low-probability process that takes place at energies above 30 eV. Three types of defects are found: adatom, single vacancy, and 5–8–5 defect formed from a double-vacancy defect. The simulations provide a fundamental understanding of the graphene carbon bombardment and the parameters to develop graphene devices by controlling defect formation.

The controlled folding of graphene structures driven by molecular interactions with water nanodroplets is analyzed taking into account interactions with supported substrates such as silicon dioxide (SiO2), hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) on SiO2. The interaction between unsupported graphene and a water nanodroplet is strong enough to induce folding on graphene nanostructures. However, when the graphene is supported on SiO2, the attraction between graphene and the substrate prevents graphene from folding but if the substrate is a hydrophobic surface such as HMDS or a solvent such as IPA, the interaction between graphene and the substrate is weak, and depending on the geometry of the graphene structure, folding is possible. The selection of an acceptable substrate and graphene geometry opens the possibility of a controlled fabrication of graphene-based capsules, scrolls, sandwiches, and rings able to carry a payload.

In this work, we use the iterative Richardson-Lucy (RL) deconvolution to further increase the energy resolution of electron energy loss spectra of surface plasmon resonances (SPR) in silver nanostructures. We obtain a record e_ective energy resolution of 10 meV after 500 iterations for spectral features below 1 eV. We extract energy- _ltered maps of SPR of a nanorod at energies down to 0.25 eV, corresponding to the mid-infrared region on the electromagnetic spectrum. And we are able to identify hydrid-SPR peaks separated by only 70 meV from two nano-squares with a gap of 100 nm between them, demonstrating that the RL deconvolution applied to spectra acquired with a monochromator is a useful tool to characterize plasmonic structures at low energies with high energy resolution.

The dielectric response of two-dimensional (2D) ${\mathrm{Ti}}_{3}{\mathrm{C}}_{2}$ stacked sheets was investigated by high-resolution transmission electron energy-loss spectroscopy and ab initio calculations in the 0.2--30-eV energy range. Intense surface plasmons (SPs), evidenced at the nanometer scale at energies as low as 0.3 eV, are shown to be the dominant screening process up to at least 45-nm-thick stacks. This domination results from a combination of efficient free-electron dynamics, begrenzungs effect, and reduced interband damping. It is shown that, in principle, the SPs energies can be tuned in the mid-infrared, from 0.2 to 0.7 eV, by controlling the sheets' functionalization and/or thickness. This point evidences a new attribute of this new class of 2D materials.

Energy resolution is one of the most important parameters in electron energy-loss spectroscopy. This is especially true for measurement of surface plasmon resonances, where high-energy resolution is crucial for resolving individual resonance peaks, in particular close to the zero-loss peak. In this work, we improve the energy resolution of electron energy-loss spectra of surface plasmon resonances, acquired with a monochromated beam in a scanning transmission electron microscope, by the use of the Richardson–Lucy deconvolution algorithm. We test the performance of the algorithm in a simulated spectrum and then apply it to experimental energy-loss spectra of a lithographically patterned silver nanorod. By reduction of the point spread function of the spectrum, we are able to identify low-energy surface plasmon peaks in spectra, more localized features, and higher contrast in surface plasmon energy-filtered maps. Thanks to the combination of a monochromated beam and the Richardson–Lucy algorithm, we improve the effective resolution down to 30 meV, and evidence of success up to 10 meV resolution for losses below 1 eV. We also propose, implement, and test two methods to limit the number of iterations in the algorithm. The first method is based on noise measurement and analysis, while in the second we monitor the change of slope in the deconvolved spectrum.

Molecular simulations leading to sensors for the detection of explosive compounds require force field parameters that can reproduce the mechanical and vibrational properties of energetic materials. We developed precise harmonic force fields for alanine polypeptides and glycine oligopeptides using the FUERZA procedure that uses the Hessian tensor (obtained from ab initio calculations) to calculate precise parameters. In this work, we used the same procedure to calculate generalized force field parameters of several nitro compounds. We found a linear relationship between force constant and bond distance. The average angle in the nitro compounds was 116°, excluding the 90° angle of the carbon atoms in the octanitrocubane. The calculated parameters permitted the accurate molecular modeling of nitro compounds containing many functional groups. Results were acceptable when compared with others obtained using methods that are specific for one type of molecule, and much better than others obtained using methods that are too general (these ignore the chemical effects of surrounding atoms on the bonding and therefore the bond strength, which affects the mechanical and vibrational properties of the whole molecule).

The temperature dependences of the current-voltage characteristics of a sample of triangular DNA origami deposited in a 100 nm gap between platinum electrodes are measured using a probe station. Below 240 K, the sample shows high impedance, similar to that of the substrate. Near room temperature the current shows exponential behavior with respect to the inverse of temperature. Sweep times of 1 s do not yield a steady state; however sweep times of 450 s for the bias voltage secure a steady state. The thermionic emission and hopping conduction models yield similar barriers of approximately 0.7 eV at low voltages. For high voltages, the hopping conduction mechanism yields a barrier of 0.9 eV and the thermionic emission yields 1.1 eV. The experimental data set suggests that the dominant conduction mechanism is hopping in the range 280-320 K. The results are consistent with theoretical and experimental estimates of the barrier for related molecules.

The frequency response of triangular DNA origami is obtained at room temperature. The sample shows a high impedance at low frequencies, e.g., at zero frequency 20 Gohms, which decreases almost linearly with the logarithm of the frequency reaching a low and flat value at 100 kHz where the impedance turns from capacitive to resistive, concluding that DNA can be used for transmission of signals at frequencies larger than 100 kHz. It is also found that characteristics of DNA cannot be completely disentangled from the characteristics of the substrate on which it is deposited, making the design of molecular circuits more challenging than the design of circuits with present lumped devices; this is a natural feature at the nanoscale.