Electron transfer dynamics and yield from gold nanoparticle to different semiconductors induced by plasmon band excitation

Abstract

Photoinduced electron transfer from gold nanoparticles (NPs) to semiconductor under plasmon excitation is an important phenomenon in photocatalysis and solar cell applications. Femtosecond plasmon-induced electron transfer from gold NPs to the conduction band of different semiconductor like TiO2, SnO2, and ZnO was monitored at 3440 nm upon optical excitation of the surface plasmon band of gold NPs. It was found that electron injection was completed within 240 fs and the electron injection yield reached 10–30% under 570 nm excitation. It means TiO2 is not the only proper semiconductor as electron acceptors in such gold/semiconductor nanoparticle systems.