Absorption Range and Energy Shift of Surface Plasmon in Au Monomer and Dimer

The resonance behaviors of local surface plasmon resonance in Au monomer and dimer are characterized systemically by electron energy loss spectroscopy in a scanning transmission electron microscope. The measured absorption range is about 20 nm larger than the physical size of the Au nanoparticles and the resonance peak energy shows a red shift when the electron beam passes off the nanoparticles. The Au dimer displays similar behaviors. Numerical simulation also reproduces those experimental results.