Electronic relaxation dynamics in isolated and aggregated hollow gold nanospheres

Electronic relaxation and interparticle electromagnetic coupling processes in hollow gold nanospheres (HGNs) and HGN aggregates are described, which have displayed a systematic, blue shift of the surface plasmon resonance spectral position. The studies have shown that confinement effects in HGNs have allowed for enhanced energy transport over nanometer distances and the effect is applied for developing more efficient devices, including photovoltaics.