Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance Frequency Research Articles

Remote-controllable refractive-index-sensitive plasmonic waveguide and rake-like switch: designs and FDTD simulations

A refractive-index-sensitive plasmonic waveguide, whose transmission characteristics could be controlled remotely by a rake-like switch design, is theoretically studied in the reported work. The distance from the remote control unit to the bus waveguide is more than 0.25 μm, and it still possesses great efficiency even when the distance is increased to 0.535 μm. The switch basically contains two main sections. The first is on the bottom and next to the bus waveguide which functions as a plasmonic resonator that can induce localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and restrict wave propagation at corresponding resonant frequency. The second is on the top and far away from the bus waveguide which functions as a remote controller that can modulate LSPR frequency in the first section. The refractive-index-dependent transmission spectra of this filter were simulated using finite-difference time-domain method. The results have shown that even at a distance as far as 0.5 μm, the ON/OFF switching of the wave propagation in a bus waveguide can still be modulated by adjusting the refractive index of a remote rectangular controller. With only 0.08 difference in refractive index, it could be obtained an on–off switching ratio of 18.7, 20.4 and 25.7 respectively for different waveguides at visible and near infrared wavelength, which shows great potential applications in refractive index sensors and remote-controllable band-stop filters.

Plasmon-induced hot carrier distribution in a composite nanosystem: role of the adsorption site.

The generation of hot carriers (HCs) through the excitation of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in metal nanostructures is a fascinating phenomenon that fuels both fundamental and applied research. However, gaining insights into HCs at a microscopic level has posed a complex challenge, limiting our ability to create efficient nanoantennas that utilize these energized carriers. In this investigation, we employ real-time time-dependent density functional theory (rt-TDDFT) calculations to examine the creation and distribution of HCs within a model composite system consisting of a silver (Ag) nanodisk and a carbon monoxide (CO) molecule. We find that the creation and distribution of HCs are notably affected by the CO adsorption site. Particularly, when the CO molecule adsorbs onto the hollow site of the Ag nanodisk, it exhibits the highest potential among various composite systems in terms of structural stability, enhanced orbital hybridization, and HC generation and transfer. Utilizing a Gaussian laser pulse adjusted to match the LSPR frequency, we observe a marked buildup of hot electrons and hot holes on the C and O atoms. Conversely, the region encompassing the C-O bond exhibits a depletion of hot electrons and hot holes. We believe that these findings could have significant implications in the field of HC photocatalysis.

The impact of a dopant atom on the distribution of hot electrons and holes in Au-doped Ag nano-clusters.

The generation of hot carriers (HCs) through the excitation of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in metal nanostructures is a fascinating phenomenon that fuels both fundamental and applied research. In this study, we employ first principles real-time time-dependent density-functional theory (rt-TDDFT) calculations to elucidate the creation and distribution of HCs within Au-doped Ag nanoclusters: Ag11Cl3P7H21, Ag10AucoreCl3P7H21, and Ag10AusurfCl3P7H21 nanoclusters. Our findings indicate that adjustments in HC distribution are achievable through the Au dopant atom, and precise control of HC distribution is possible by manipulating the location of the Au dopant atom. When employing a Gaussian laser pulse tailored to match the LSPR frequency, a substantial accumulation of HCs in the Ag-P bond is observed. This finding suggests a weakening of the Ag-P bonds and, consequently, the initiation of bond stretching. We propose that these findings open up possibilities for tuning HCs in Au-doped chemically functionalized Ag nanoclusters.

Synthesis of Controllable Cu Shells on Au Nanoparticles with Electrodeposition: A Systematic in Situ Single Particle Study.

Bimetallic Cu on Au nanoparticles with controllable morphology and optical properties were obtained via electrochemical synthesis. In particular, multilobed structures with good homogeneity were achieved through the optimization of experimental parameters such as deposition current, charge transfer, and metal ion concentration. A hyperspectral dark field scattering setup was used to characterize the electrodeposition on a single particle level, with changes in localized surface plasmon resonance frequency correlated with deposition charge transfer and amount of Cu deposited as determined by electron microscopy. This demonstrated the ability to tune morphology and spectra through electrochemical parameters alone. Time-resolved in situ measurements of single particle spectra were obtained, giving an insight into the kinetics of the deposition process. Nucleation of multiple cubes of Cu initially occurs preferentially on the tips of Au nanoparticles, before growing and coalescing to form a multilobed, lumpy shell. Modifying the surface of Au nanoparticles by plasma treatment resulted in thicker and more uniform Cu shells.

Binary Pt/Te Nanoheterostructures with High Photothermal Conversion Efficiency and Anti-inflammatory Action for Enhanced Photothermal Therapy of 4T1 Breast Tumors Guided by Photoacoustic Imaging

Photothermal therapy is a powerful candidate for tumor treatment. However, photothermal therapy still faces some challenges, such as lacking photothermal agents with high photothermal conversion efficiency and undesirable inflammatory responses, which may result in tumor recurrence and therapeutic resistance. Here, the Pt/Te nanoheterostructures (PT) were synthesized by a simple hydrothermal reaction. The photothermal conversion efficiency was up to 51.84%. The outstanding photothermal conversion capacity of PT was attributed to the unique localized surface plasmon resonance frequency of metals and semiconductors and the increased circuit paths of electron transitions from nanoheterostructures. After coating with the murine mammary carcinoma (4T1) cell membrane, the camouflaged PT (mPT) exhibits excellent biocompatibility and effective homologous targeting capacity. Benefiting from antioxidative activity, mPT can efficiently scavenge inflammation-related reactive oxygen species and cytokines (such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6) caused by hyperthermia to alleviate inflammation in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro and in vivo therapeutic results showed that mPT could effectively inhibit 4T1 breast tumors. In addition, the in vivo therapy could be guided by photoacoustic imaging. These results demonstrated that these multifunctional mPT provide a paradigm for biomimetic metal and semiconductor nanoheterostructures for enhanced photothermal therapy and anti-inflammatory action on tumors.

Investigating the Role of Surface Depletion in Governing Electron-Transfer Events in Colloidal Plasmonic Nanocrystals

Doped metal oxide nanocrystals (NCs) attract immense attention because of their ability to exhibit a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) that can be tuned extensively across the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. LSPR tunability triggered through compositional and morphological changes during synthesis (size, shape, and doping percentage) is becoming well-established, while the principles underlying dynamic, postsynthetic modulation of LSPR are not as well understood. Recent reports have suggested that the presence of a depletion layer on the NC surface may be instrumental in governing the LSPR modulation of doped metal oxide NCs. Here, we employ postsynthetic electron transfer to colloidal Sn-doped In2O3 NCs with varying sizes and Sn doping concentrations to investigate the role of the depletion layer in LSPR modulation. By measuring the maximum change in the LSPR frequency after NC reduction, we determine that a large initial volume fraction of the depletion layer in NCs results in a broad modulation of the LSPR energy and intensity. Utilizing a mathematical Drude fitting model, we track the changes in the electron density and the depletion-layer volume fraction throughout the chemical doping process, offering fundamental insights into the intrinsic NC response resulting from such electron-transfer events. We observe that the maximum change in electron density that can be induced through chemical doping is independent of Sn concentration, and subsequently, the maximum total electron density in the presence of excess reductant is independent of the NC diameter and is dependent only on the as-synthesized Sn doping concentration. This study establishes the central role that surface depletion plays in the electronic changes occurring in the NCs during postsynthetic doping, and the results will be instrumental in advancing the understanding of optical and electrical properties of different colloidal plasmonic NCs.

Plasmon enhanced upconversion emission in Tm3+/Yb3+/lithium niobate single crystal

Light conversion efficiency, as the core issue of luminescence applications, has become the focus of upconversion (UC) study. Here, we have coated Au nano-films in different thicknesses on c-cut Tm3+/Yb3+/lithium niobate (LN) single crystal wafers, and discovered the luminescence intensity could be drastically enhanced by 15.1 and 26.5 folds for blue and red emission, respectively, in a proper Au thickness. Compared to the Au-free sample, optical measurements demonstrate a moderate enhancement of local optical power density. However, considering the non-linear relationship between the coating thickness and the enhancement factor, we attribute the drastic UC enhancement to the size-dependent localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR); and accordingly, adopt an analytical optical absorption model to calculate the electron density of Au coating, which manipulates the resonance intensity and enhancement factor. The above explanation is further verified by the variation of LSPR frequency. These findings interpret the interaction between nano-scale Au coating and crystal surface, and demonstrate the feasibility and superiority of LSPR-enhanced UC luminescence in crystalline materials.

Platinum-Doped Prussian Blue Nanozymes for Multiwavelength Bioimaging Guided Photothermal Therapy of Tumor and Anti-Inflammation.

Developing appropriate photothermal agents to meet complex clinical demands is an urgent challenge for photothermal therapy of tumors. Here, platinum-doped Prussian blue (PtPB) nanozymes with tunable spectral absorption, high photothermal conversion efficiency, and good antioxidative catalytic activity are developed by one-step reduction. By controlling the doping ratio, PtPB nanozymes exhibit tunable localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) frequency with significantly enhanced photothermal conversion efficiency and allow multiwavelength photoacoustic/infrared thermal imaging guided photothermal therapy. Experimental band gap and density functional theory calculations further reveal that the decrement of free carrier concentrations and increase in circuit paths of electron transitions co-contribute to the enhanced photothermal conversion efficiency of PtPB with tunable LSPR frequency. Benefiting from antioxidative catalytic activity, PtPB can simultaneously relieve inflammation caused by hyperthermia. Moreover, PtPB nanozymes exhibited good biosafety after intravenous injection. Our findings provide a paradigm for designing safe and efficient photothermal agents to treat complex tumor diseases.

Computational investigation of the plasmonic properties of TiN, ZrN, and HfN nanoparticles: the role of particle size, medium, and surface oxidation

Group 4 transition metal nitride (TMN) nanoparticles (NPs) display strong plasmonic responses in the visible and near-infrared regimes, exhibit high melting points and significant chemical stability, and thus are potential earth-abundant alternatives to Au and Ag based plasmonic applications. However, a detailed understanding of the relationship between TMN NP physical properties and plasmonic response is required to maximize their utility. In this study, the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) frequency, bandwidth, and extinction of titanium nitride (TiN), zirconium nitride (ZrN), and hafnium nitride (HfN) NPs were examined as a function of the particle size, surface oxidation, and refractive index of the surrounding medium using finite element method (FEM). A linear redshift in the LSPR frequency and a linear increase in the associated full width at half maximum (FWHM) was observed with increasing the particle size, oxidation layer thickness, and medium refractive index. We show that the effect of surface oxidation on plasmonic properties of TMN NPs is strongly size-dependent with a significant LSPR redshift, intensity reduction, and broadening in small NPs compared with larger NPs. Furthermore, the performance and efficiency of HfN, ZrN, and TiN, as well as Au NPs for narrowband (photothermal therapy, PTT) and broadband (solar energy conversion) applications, was investigated in detail. The results indicate that narrowband and broadband photothermal performance of NPs strongly depend on the particle size, surface properties, and in case of narrowband absorption, excitation wavelength.

Investigation of a new graphene strain sensor based on surface plasmon resonance

The high confinement of surface plasmon polaritons in graphene nanostructures at infrared frequencies can enhance the light-matter interactions, which open up intriguing possibilities for the sensing. Strain sensors have attracted much attention due to their unique electromechanical properties. In this paper, a surface plasmon resonance based graphene strain sensor is presented. The considered sensing platform consists of arrays of graphene ribbons placed on a flexible substrate which enables efficient coupling of an electromagnetic field into localized surface plasmons. When the strain stretching is applied to the configuration, the localized surface plasmon resonance frequency sensitively shift. The strain is then detected by measuring the frequency shifts of the localized plasmon resonances. This provides a new optical method for graphene strain sensing. Our results show that the tensile direction is the key parameter for strain sensing. Besides, the sensitivity and the figure of merit were calculated to evaluate the performance of the proposed sensor. The calculated figure of merit can be up to two orders of magnitude, which could be potentially useful from a practical point of view.

(Invited) Manipulating Carrier Polarization in Semiconductor Nanocrystals

Degenerately-doped semiconductor nanocrystals exhibiting tunable localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) have attracted significant attention in recent years due to their unique optoelectronic properties. Unlike noble metal nanoparticles, colloidal plasmonic semiconductor nanocrystals have LSPR frequencies tunable in the infrared region, which makes them appealing for terahertz imaging, heat-responsive devices, and surface-enhanced infrared spectroscopic measurements. Besides expanding the LSPR frequency range, plasmonic semiconductor nanocrystals could potentially bring about numerous other opportunities related to single-phase plasmon-exciton interactions. However, non-resonant nature of the LSPR and exciton in semiconductors has been a major obstacle toward realizing such opportunities. In this talk I will discuss the results of our recent work on the structure and composition dependent plasmonic properties of colloidal semiconductor nanostructures. I will particularly focus on generating robust excitonic splitting in degenerately-doped transparent metal oxide nanocrystals, enabled by non-resonant plasmon-exciton coupling in an external magnetic field. This phenomenon allows for controlling carrier polarization in semiconductor nanocrystals using circularly polarized light. Furthermore, the ability to control carrier localization and nanocrystal morphology allows for further manipulation of the excitonic splitting pattern and quantum states in these non-magnetic semiconductor nanostructures. Possible applications of this emerging class of multifunctional materials for new electronic and quantum information technologies will also be discussed.

Intensification of microwave radiation by hybridized plasmon effect

In recent years, an innovative technology based on modulation and enhancement effects of subwavelength plasma on RF electromagnetic radiation has been proposed, in which the microwave radiation from an electrically small antenna can be significantly enhanced when the antenna is tightly enclosed by a subwavelength overdense plasma shell. But the exact mechanism is still not entirely clear. In this paper, we first use the theory of hybridized Local Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR) for visible light in nanometal to explain this cross-domain work of microwave radiation enhancement modulated by a subwavelength overdense plasma layer, and the results show that the LSPR frequency is in good accordance with the frequency of enhanced radiation signals. Furthermore, the relationship between LSPR and antenna impedance as well as their effects on the impedance matching condition between antenna and power supply are investigated. It is indicated that LSPR on the plasma layer changes the impedance of the antenna, which produces circuit resonance (differing from plasmon resonance) between the antenna and power supply, and thus more power is radiated from the power supply to free space.

A Tunable Polymer-Metal Based Anti-Reflective Metasurface.

Anti-reflective surfaces are of great interest for optical devices, sensing, photovoltaics, and photocatalysis. However, most of the anti-reflective surfaces lack in situ tunability of the extinction with respect to wavelength. This communication demonstrates a tunable anti-reflective surface based on colloidal particles comprising a metal core with an electrochromic polymer shell. Random deposition of these particles on a reflective surface results in a decrease in the reflectance of up to 99.8% at the localized surface plasmon resonance frequency. This narrow band feature can be tuned by varying the pH or by application of an electric potential, resulting in wavelength shifts of up to 30 nm. Electrophoretic particle deposition is shown to be an efficient method for controlling the interparticle distance and thereby further optimizing the overall efficiency of the anti-reflective metasurface.

Tunable Near-Infrared Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance of F, In-Codoped CdO Nanocrystals.

Nanocrystals (NCs) of transparent conducting oxides with a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in the near-infrared (NIR) spectral region show promising electrochromic properties for the development of a new generation of dynamic "smart windows". In this regard, we exploit thin films of F, In-codoped CdO (FICO) NCs as active coatings for electrochromic devices. The control over the dopants concentration in FICO NCs results in fine tuning of their LSPR across the NIR region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Highly transparent mesoporous electrodes were prepared from colloidal FICO NCs by in situ ligand exchange of the pristine organic capping ligands. This approach preserves the optical and electrical properties of native NCs and delivers highly homogeneous, nonscattering films with a good electronic coupling between the NCs. We achieved a dynamic control over the LSPR frequency by reversible electrochemical doping, hence a spectrally selective modulation of the optical transmittance in the NIR region of the solar spectrum, which carries nearly 50% of the whole solar heat. Spectroelectrochemical characterization, coloration efficiency, and switching kinetics results indicate that thin film based on FICO NCs are potential candidates for plasmonic electrochromic applications. Moreover, the high electron mobility and wide optical bandgap of FICO makes NCs of this material suitable for large-area devices capable of dynamically controlling the heat load coming from the solar infrared radiation, without affecting the visible light transmittance.

Structure-Function Correlations in Sputter Deposited Gold/Fluorocarbon Multilayers for Tuning Optical Response.

A new strategy to nanoengineer gold/fluorocarbon multilayer (ML) nanostructures is reported. We have investigated the morphological changes occurring at the metal–polymer interface in ML structures with varying volume fraction of gold (Au) and the kinetic growth aspect of the microscale properties of nano-sized Au in plasma polymer fluorocarbon (PPFC). Investigations were carried out at various temperatures and annealing times by means of grazing incidence small-angle and wide-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS and GIWAXS). We have fabricated a series of MLs with varying volume fraction (0.12, 0.27, 0.38) of Au and bilayer periodicity in ML structure. They show an interesting granular structure consisting of nearly spherical nanoparticles within the polymer layer. The nanoparticle (NP) morphology changes due to the collective effects of NPs diffusion within ensembles in the in-plane vicinity and interlayer with increasing temperature. The in-plane NPs size distinctly increases with increasing temperature. The NPs become more spherical, thus reducing the surface energy. Linear growth of NPs with temperature and time shows diffusion-controlled growth of NPs in the ML structure. The structural stability of the multilayer is controlled by the volume ratio of the metal in polymer. At room temperature, UV-Vis shows a blue shift of the plasmon peak from 560 nm in ML Au/PTFE_1 to 437 nm in Au/PTFE_3. We have identified the fabrication and postdeposition annealing conditions to limit the local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) shift from = 180 nm (Au/PTFE_1) to = 67 nm (Au/PTFE_3 ML)) and their optical response over a wide visible wavelength range. A variation in the dielectric constant of the polymer in presence of varying Au inclusion is found to be a possible factor affecting the LSPR frequency. Our findings may provide insights in nanoengineering of ML structure that can be useful to systematically control the growth of NPs in polymer matrix.

Competition between Depletion Effects and Coupling in the Plasmon Modulation of Doped Metal Oxide Nanocrystals.

Degenerately doped semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) exhibit strong light-matter interactions due to localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in the near- to mid-infrared region. Besides being readily tuned through dopant concentration introduced during synthesis, this LSPR can also be dynamically modulated by applying an external electrochemical potential. This characteristic makes these materials candidates for electrochromic window applications. Here, using prototypical doped indium oxide NCs as a model system, we find that the extent of electrochemical modulation of LSPR frequency is governed by the depletion width and the extent of inter-NC LSPR coupling, which are indirectly controlled by the dopant density, size, and packing density of the NCs. The depletion layer is a near-surface region with a sharply reduced free carrier population that occurs whenever the surface potential lies below the Fermi level. Changes in the depletion width under applied bias substantially control the spectral modulation of the LSPR of individual NCs and also modify the inter-NC LSPR coupling, which additionally modulates the LSPR absorption on the NC film scale. Here, we show that both of these effects must be considered primary factors in determining the extent of LSPR frequency modulation and that the dominant factor depends on NC size. For a constant doping concentration, depletion effects govern LSPR modulation for smaller NCs, while LSPR coupling is prevalent in larger NCs. Consequently, as the size of the NCs is increased while keeping the doping concentration constant, we observe a reversal in the sign of the LSPR frequency modulation from positive to negative.

Plasmon properties of multilayer albumin/gold hybrid nanoparticles

Hybrid nanoparticles are mainly based on inorganic (metal, semiconductors) and organic (proteins, polymers) compounds. The inorganic compounds are metallic nanostructures with unique features such as localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) bands in the UV–visible-near IR spectral range. The LSPR frequency is extremely sensitive to small changes in the physicochemical environment surrounding NPs and is dependent on NP shape and size. Recently, we reported a novel preparation method of hybrid nanoparticles based on an Albumin multilayer coating of AuNPs, stabilized by radiation-induced crosslinking processes. With this method, we obtained core/shell nanoparticles composed by Au and albumins. The aim of this paper is the description of the plasmon properties of AuNPs and other core/shell gold/protein NPs prepared. UV–vis spectra were used to detect changes of the plasmon extinction of hybrid nanoparticles, in accordance to the Mie Theory. DLS and TEM measures were used to correlate the results obtained. UV–vis spectroscopy proved to be key to characterize protein layer through two parameters: thickness and refractive index. In conclusion, UV–vis spectroscopy can be a very useful quality control methodology to prepare hybrid Au/protein NPs.

One-Pot Synthesis of Multi-Branch Gold Nanoparticles and Investigation of Their SERS Performance.

Gold nanoparticles with multiple branches have attracted intensive studies for their application in sensing of low trace molecules. A large number of the merits found on the gold nanoparticles for the above applications are attributed to the strong localized surface plasmon resonance excited by the incident radiation. However, a facile and flexible way of synthesizing the multi-branch gold nanoparticles with tunable localized surface plasmon resonance frequency is still a challenge for the plasmonic research field. Herein, we report an efficient one-pot synthesis of multi-branch gold nanoparticles method that resembles a seed-medicated approach while using no further chemicals except chloroauric acid, ascorbic acid and 4-(2-Hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-ethanesulfonic acid. By controlling the amounts of ascorbic acid volumes in the reaction mixture, the morphology and the localized surface plasmon resonance frequency of the synthesized multi-branch gold nanoparticles can be manipulated conveniently. Moreover, using the 4-Mercaptobenzoic acid as the Raman reporter, the multi-branch gold nanoparticles show superior surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy characteristics that can be potentially used in chemical and biological sensing.

Impacts of surface depletion on the plasmonic properties of doped semiconductor nanocrystals.

Degenerately doped semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) exhibit a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Unlike metals, semiconductor NCs offer tunable LSPR characteristics enabled by doping, or via electrochemical or photochemical charging. Tuning plasmonic properties through carrier density modulation suggests potential applications in smart optoelectronics, catalysis and sensing. Here, we elucidate fundamental aspects of LSPR modulation through dynamic carrier density tuning in Sn-doped In2O3 (Sn:In2O3) NCs. Monodisperse Sn:In2O3 NCs with various doping levels and sizes were synthesized and assembled in uniform films. NC films were then charged in an in situ electrochemical cell and the LSPR modulation spectra were monitored. Based on spectral shifts and intensity modulation of the LSPR, combined with optical modelling, it was found that often-neglected semiconductor properties, specifically band structure modification due to doping and surface states, strongly affect LSPR modulation. Fermi level pinning by surface defect states creates a surface depletion layer that alters the LSPR properties; it determines the extent of LSPR frequency modulation, diminishes the expected near-field enhancement, and strongly reduces sensitivity of the LSPR to the surroundings.

Surface plasmon resonance effect of silver nanoparticles on the enhanced efficiency of inverted hybrid organic–inorganic solar cell

We investigate the effects of silver nanoparticles capped by 1-octanethiol (AgSC8) incorporated into the active layer of regioregular poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) in the fabrication of an inverted hybrid solar cell. The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) excited in AgSC8 is expected to enhance the photon absorption as well as improve the efficiency of exciton generation and dissociation in this type of solar cell. The measured UV–visible absorption spectra show that photoactive polymer (P3HT:PCBM) layers with 2.09[Formula: see text]wt.% and 3.34[Formula: see text]wt.% AgSC8 incorporations remain homogeneous, while it appears aggregated with 5.02[Formula: see text]wt.% AgSC8 incorporation. Under the illumination of 100[Formula: see text]mW/cm2 simulated solar irradiation, the fabricated device exhibits an increased open circuit voltage ([Formula: see text] from 0.327[Formula: see text]V to 0.665[Formula: see text]V for the case with 3.34[Formula: see text]wt.% AgSC8 incorporation and an improved device power conversion efficiency (PCE) from 1.01% to 1.92%. These results suggest the favorably role of AgSC8 in photo-generation of exciton and its dissociation at the LSPR frequency of AgSC8. The decrease of short circuit current density ([Formula: see text] from 10.316[Formula: see text]mA/cm2 to 8.668[Formula: see text]mA/cm2 nevertheless implies reduced conductivity due to AgSC8 incorporation.