Imaging symmetry-selected corner plasmon modes in penta-twinned crystalline Ag nanowires

Using dual-plane leakage radiation microscopy, we investigate plasmon propagation in individual penta-twinned crystalline silver nanowires. By measuring the wavevector content of the light emitted in the substrate, we unambiguously determine the effective index and the losses of the mode propagating in these structures. The experimental results, in particular, the unexpectedly low effective index, reveal the direct influence of the nanowire crystallinity and pentagonal structure on the observed plasmon modes. By analogy with molecular orbitals of similar symmetry, the plasmon modes are also determined numerically in good agreement with the observed values. We further investigate the effect of wire geometry (length, diameter) on the effective index and propagation loss. Our results show that, beyond dissipation concerns, the morphological and structural control obtained in crystalline colloidal plasmonic nanostructures can be exploited to finely tune their optical properties.