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. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.