Plasmonic properties of concentric nanoshells

The plasmonic properties of a concentric nanoshell, or nanomatryushka, are investigated. The plasmon resonant modes are analyzed in terms of the plasmon hybridization model, where new resonances occur due to a hybridization of the plasmon modes of the inner metallic shell with those of the outer metallic shell. The plasmon resonant spectra of experimentally realized concentric nanoshells are analyzed in terms of dipolar and higher order multipolar hybridized plasmon modes. A size-dependent asymmetry in the splitting of the hybridized plasmon states is observed, which is related to phase retardation effects due to the nanostructure's finite size.