Abstract

The novel field of Nanoplasmonics focuses on the manipulation of light using materials with significantly smaller sizes than the radiation wavelength. This is typically achieved using nanostructured metals, since they can very efficiently absorb and scatter light because of their ability to support coherent oscillations of free (conduction) electrons. Although the remarkable optical response of “finely divided” metals is well known since more than 150 years ago, the recent development of sophisticated characterization techniques and modeling methods has dramatically reactivated the field. An essential pillar behind the development of nanoplasmonics is the great advance in fabrication methods, which have achieved an exquisite control over the composition and morphology of nanostructured metals. In particular, Colloid Chemistry has the advantage of simplicity and large scale production, while offering a number of parameters that can be used as a handle to direct not only nanoparticle morphology but also surface properties and subsequent processing. This talk will provide an overview of “colloidal nanoplasmonics” as a sufficiently mature field to bridge the basic fabrication of nanoplasmonic building blocks, all the way to biosensing and bioimaging.