Size-dependent dielectric function for electron-energy-loss spectra of plasmonic nanoparticles

Abstract

ABSTRACTA size-dependent complex dielectric function is proposed to describe the impact that size effects have on the dielectric response for electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) of plasmonic nanoparticles. Our implementation is based on experimental bulk complex refractive index and the modification of the Lorentz-Drude model. Our theoretical framework is verified and analysed by performing numerical simulation comparisons of EELS for Au spherical nanoparticles of different sizes. The results show that finite-size effects cannot be neglected for a broader size range of up to at least 200 nm for Au spherical nanoparticles. Moreover, the EELS regions in which contributions of surface or bulk energy loss are dominant are confirmed by the optical extinction spectra of Au spherical nanoparticles of different sizes, which takes into account the size-dependent dielectric function. The results provided here provide a suitable and versatile framework for the design of plasmonic elements on the nanometre scale.