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Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Performing Spectroscopy on Plasmonic Nanoparticles with Transmission-Based Nomarski-Type Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy
Published on: June 5, 2019
Trimeric plasmonic molecules: the role of symmetry
1Department of Chemical Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel. lev.chuntonov@weizmann.ac.il
Abstract:
Artificial plasmonic molecules possess excitation modes that are defined by their symmetry and obey group theory rules, just like conventional molecules. We follow the evolution of surface-plasmon spectra of plasmonic trimers, assembled from equal-sized silver nanoparticles, as gradual geometric changes break their symmetry. The spectral modes of an equilateral triangle, the most symmetric structure of a trimer, are degenerate. This degeneracy is lifted as the symmetry is lowered when one of the vertex angles in opened, which also leads to a subtle transition between bright and dark modes. Our experimental results are quantitatively explained using numerical simulations and plasmon hybridization theory.
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