Layer-by-Layer synthesis and tunable optical properties of hybrid magnetic–plasmonic nanocomposites using short bifunctional molecular linkers

Spurred by research in magnetoplasmonics, plasmon-enhanced magneto-optical effects and active plasmonics, the demand for hybrid magnetic–plasmonic nanoparticle-based materials of optical quality is high. Currently used synthesis methods involve possibly interfering polymer media or polyelectrolyte interlayers, grooved supports or non-transparent substrates. To obtain homogeneous, partially transparent and polymer/polyelectrolyte-free magnetic–plasmonic nanocomposites with angle-independent optical properties, we produced hybrid gold–magnetite and silver–magnetite nanocomposites by a novel Layer- by-Layer synthesis using short bifunctional molecular linkers on glass substrates. Resulting nanocomposites had high nanoparticle filling fractions and showed tunability of the plasmon wavelength over a very broad spectral range by changing composite thickness through the number of added nanoparticle layers. The angle- independence of optical properties and the abilities to switch the plasmonic material and to tune the plasmon resonances of the magnetic–plasmonic composites make these materials a unique platform for magnetoplasmonic research.publisher: Elsevier articletitle: Layer-by-Layer synthesis and tunable optical properties of hybrid magnetic–plasmonic nanocomposites using short bifunctional molecular linkers journaltitle: Materials Letters articlelink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2013.12.057 content_type: article copyright: Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.status: publishe