Gold Nanodisks Plasmonic Array for Hydrogen Sensing at Low Temperature.

Marco Sturaro,Alessandro Martucci,Pierfrancesco Zilio,Gabriele Zacco,Marco Bazzan,Alessandro Surpi

doi:10.3390/s19030647

Abstract

We present a novel plasmonic hydrogen sensor consisting of an array of gold nanodisks produced by lithography. The size, height, and spacing of the disks were optimized using finite element simulation to generate a sharp localized surface plasmon resonance peak in the near-infrared wavelength region. The reported results show the possibility of developing an optical gas sensors-based bare Au nanostructures operating at a low temperature.

Highlights

Gold is regarded as relatively inert to chemical interactions with gases and generally considered a poor catalyst
Similar absorption cross sections for NDs arrays with period length between 250 and 450 nm at λLSPR ~ 1100 nm were obtained with successive simulations (Figure 1)
On the basis of simulations, samples containing NDs with 75 nm radius and 5 nm thickness with a periodicity of 400 nm were fabricated by nanoimprinting from a master mold produced by interferential lithography (Figure 1c) [10]

Summary

Introduction

Gold is regarded as relatively inert to chemical interactions with gases and generally considered a poor catalyst. Gold nanoclusters up to 5 nm of diameter show catalytic activity to CO and H2 oxidation [1,2], especially when supported by transition metal oxides [3]. Density Functional Theory (DFT) simulations confirm that the crucial condition for H2 interaction with gold is the existence of low-coordinated atoms, independently if on the surface of Au NCs or at extended line defects [5]. In the latter case, it is possible to observe significant catalytic activity in larger gold structures. Fujita et al [6]

Methods

Results

Conclusion