Electron energy-loss spectroscopy of surface plasmon activity in wrinkled gold structures

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.