TY - JOUR
T1 - The Evolution from Superatom- to Plasmon-Mediated Magnetic Circular Dichroism in Colloidal Metal Nanoparticles Spanning the Nonmetallic to Metallic Limits
AU - Foxley, Juniper
AU - Green, Thomas D.
AU - Tofanelli, Marcus A.
AU - Ackerson, Christopher J.
AU - Knappenberger, Kenneth L.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by a grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (FA9550-22-1-0402). J.F. acknowledges support from the National Science Foundation, award CHE-22-04190. C.J.A. acknowledges support from the National Science Foundation, award CHE-1507646.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 American Chemical Society.
PY - 2023/6/8
Y1 - 2023/6/8
N2 - The magneto-optical absorption properties of colloidal metal nanoclusters spanning nonmetallic to metallic regimes were examined using variable-temperature variable-field magnetic circular dichroism (VTVH-MCD) spectroscopy. Charge neutral Au25(SC8H9)18 exhibited MCD spectra dominated by Faraday C-terms, consistent with expectations for a nonmetallic paramagnetic nanocluster. This response is reconciled by the open-shell superatom configuration of Au25(SC8H9)18. Metallic and plasmon-supporting Au459(pMBA)170 exhibited temperature-independent VTVH-MCD spectra dominated by Faraday A-terms. Au144(SC8H9)60, which is intermediate to the metallic and nonmetallic limits, showed the most complex VTVH-MCD response of the three nanoclusters, consisting of 19 distinguishable peaks spanning the visible and near-infrared (3.0-1.4 eV). Variable-temperature analysis suggested that none of these transitions originated from plasmon excitation. However, evidence for both paramagnetic and mixed (i.e., nondiscrete) transitions of Au144(SC8H9)60 was observed. These results highlight the complexity of gold nanocluster electronic transitions that emerge as sizes approach metallic length scales. Nanoclusters in this regime may provide opportunities for tailoring the magneto-optical properties of colloidal nanostructures.
AB - The magneto-optical absorption properties of colloidal metal nanoclusters spanning nonmetallic to metallic regimes were examined using variable-temperature variable-field magnetic circular dichroism (VTVH-MCD) spectroscopy. Charge neutral Au25(SC8H9)18 exhibited MCD spectra dominated by Faraday C-terms, consistent with expectations for a nonmetallic paramagnetic nanocluster. This response is reconciled by the open-shell superatom configuration of Au25(SC8H9)18. Metallic and plasmon-supporting Au459(pMBA)170 exhibited temperature-independent VTVH-MCD spectra dominated by Faraday A-terms. Au144(SC8H9)60, which is intermediate to the metallic and nonmetallic limits, showed the most complex VTVH-MCD response of the three nanoclusters, consisting of 19 distinguishable peaks spanning the visible and near-infrared (3.0-1.4 eV). Variable-temperature analysis suggested that none of these transitions originated from plasmon excitation. However, evidence for both paramagnetic and mixed (i.e., nondiscrete) transitions of Au144(SC8H9)60 was observed. These results highlight the complexity of gold nanocluster electronic transitions that emerge as sizes approach metallic length scales. Nanoclusters in this regime may provide opportunities for tailoring the magneto-optical properties of colloidal nanostructures.
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U2 - 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c01170
DO - 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c01170
M3 - Article
C2 - 37257166
AN - SCOPUS:85162823685
SN - 1948-7185
VL - 14
SP - 5210
EP - 5215
JO - Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
JF - Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
IS - 22
ER -