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Measurement of Scattering Nonlinearities from a Single Plasmonic Nanoparticle
Published on: January 3, 2016
Detection of buried microstructures by nonlinear light scattering spectroscopy
A G F de Beer1, H B de Aguiar, J F W Nijsen
1Max-Planck Institute for Metals Research, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
Physical Review Letters
|April 28, 2009
Summary
Nonlinear light scattering non-destructively probes buried microstructures within solids. This technique reveals material size and molecular structure, overcoming limitations of in-situ analysis.
Area of Science:
- Solid-state physics and materials science
- Chemistry and polymer science
Background:
- Studying buried material in solids is challenging due to impenetrable surrounding media.
- In-situ analysis of material structure, growth, and change within solids is often prohibited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate nonlinear light scattering for in-situ analysis of buried microstructures.
- To characterize the size and molecular structure of crystalline material within polymer microspheres.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing vibrational sum frequency scattering (VSFS) patterns.
- Analyzing polymer microspheres containing both amorphous and crystalline components.
Main Results:
- VSFS patterns successfully revealed the size of the buried microstructure.
- The optical components of the second-order susceptibility were determined.
- Vibrational spectra provided insights into the molecular structure of the material.
Conclusions:
- Nonlinear light scattering is an effective method for probing buried microstructures in solids.
- This technique allows for the characterization of material properties non-destructively.
- The study highlights the potential for detailed analysis of complex material systems.
