Electrochemical approach to and the physical consequences of preparing nanostructures from gold nanorods with smooth ends

We have developed a method to smooth the end sections of nanowires and nanogaps generated via the On-Wire Lithography process and studied these rods with optical spectroscopies and theoretical modeling (Discrete Dipole Approximation). The first step of the smoothing process is a reductive one aimed at controlling the diffusion and migration of metal ions to the growing nanorod surface by adjusting the applied potential and concentration of the metal ions in the growth solution. A second oxidative smoothing step, based in part on the energetic differences between topologically rough and smooth surfaces, is used to further smooth the nanorod. The rms roughness can be reduced over 5-fold to approximately 5 rim. The properties of these smoothed rods were investigated by empirical and theoretical methods, where it was found that smoothed rods have sharper plasmon resonances and decreased SERS intensity.