New insights into colloidal gold flakes: structural investigation, micro-ellipsometry and thinning procedure towards ultrathin monocrystalline layers

Hoffmann B, Bashouti MY, Feichtner T, Mackovic M, Dieker C, Salaheldin AM, Richter P, Gordan OD, Zahn DRT, Spiecker E, Christiansen S, Hoffmann B (2016)

Publication Status: Published

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2016

Journal

Nanoscale Royal Society of Chemistry

Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry

Book Volume: 8

Pages Range: 4529-4536

Journal Issue: 8

DOI: 10.1039/c5nr04439a

Abstract

High-quality fabrication of plasmonic devices often relies on wet-chemically grown ultraflat, presumably single-crystalline gold flakes due to their superior materials properties. However, important details about their intrinsic structure and their optical properties are not well understood yet. In this study, we present a synthesis routine for large flakes with diameters of up to 70 mu m and an in-depth investigation of their structural and optical properties. The flakes are precisely analyzed by transmission electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction and micro-ellipsometry. We found new evidence for the existence of twins extending parallel to the Au flake {111} surfaces which have been found to not interfere with the presented nanopatterning. Micro-Ellipsometry was carried out to determine the complex dielectric function and to compare it to previous measurements of bulk single crystalline gold. Finally, we used focused ion beam milling to prepare smooth crystalline layers and high-quality nanostructures with desired thickness down to 10 nm to demonstrate the outstanding properties of the flakes. Our findings support the plasmonics and nano optics community with a better understanding of this material which is ideally suited for superior plasmonic nanostructures.

Authors with CRIS profile

Mirza Mackovic Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Mikro- und Nanostrukturforschung) Christel Dieker Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Mikro- und Nanostrukturforschung) Erdmann Spiecker Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Mikro- und Nanostrukturforschung) Björn Hoffmann Lehrstuhl für Experimentalphysik

Additional Organisation(s)

Graduiertenkolleg 1896/2 In situ Mikroskopie mit Elektronen, Röntgenstrahlen und Rastersonden Exzellenz-Cluster Engineering of Advanced Materials (EAM) Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Mikro- und Nanostrukturforschung) Interdisziplinäres Zentrum, Center for Nanoanalysis and Electron Microscopy (CENEM)

Involved external institutions

Max-Planck-Institut für die Physik des Lichts (MPL) / Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light DE Germany (DE) Technische Universität Chemnitz DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Hoffmann, B., Bashouti, M.Y., Feichtner, T., Mackovic, M., Dieker, C., Salaheldin, A.M.,... Hoffmann, B. (2016). New insights into colloidal gold flakes: structural investigation, micro-ellipsometry and thinning procedure towards ultrathin monocrystalline layers. Nanoscale, 8(8), 4529-4536. https://doi.org/10.1039/c5nr04439a

MLA:

Hoffmann, B., et al. "New insights into colloidal gold flakes: structural investigation, micro-ellipsometry and thinning procedure towards ultrathin monocrystalline layers." Nanoscale 8.8 (2016): 4529-4536.

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