Effects of Light Incident Mode on Optical Scattering of Au Nanoparticle by Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance

Quantitative analysis of optical scattering intensities from a Au nanoparticle with a diameter of 100 nm, which is effected by the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), were numerically carried out by using a dark-field detection scheme on prism basal plane for two different beam incident modes of reflectance (R-mode) and transmittance (T-mode). Two-dimensional finite difference time domain (FDTD) algorithm was adopted, and its applicabilibility was verified by comparing the simulation results with the theoretical ones. Simulation results of the scattered light intensities from a Au nanoparticle revealed that the scattered intensity of the T-mode was much stronger than that of R-mode. Comparison of the calculated results with the theoretical intensity distribution on the prism showed that the scattered intensity is marimized when the evanescent field, which is generated from the interface of prism and air at TIR angle, is coupled with Au nanoparticle.