Block-copolymer-based plasmonic nanostructures

We report on the fabrication and optical characterization of dense and ordered arrays of metal nanoparticles. The metal arrays are produced by reducing metal salts in block copolymer (BCP) templates made by solvent annealing of poly(styrene-b-4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) or poly(styrene-b-ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO) diblock copolymer thin films in mixed solvents. The gold and gold/silver composite nanoparticle arrays show characteristic surface plasmon resonances in the visible wavelength range. The patterning can be applied over large areas onto various substrates. We demonstrate that these metal nanoparticle arrays on metal thin films interact with surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) that propagate at the film/nanoparticle interface and, therefore, modify the dispersion relation of the SPPs.