Abstract
Ordered arrays of metallic nanoparticles offer promise of new devices employing localised plasmon resonances. Common self-organising synthesis methods of metallic nanoparticles typically lack long-range order, while production of well-ordered lithographically patterned samples is difficult and time consuming. In their Feature Article on pp. 198–205, Fleischer et al. present recent results on self-organised deposition on stepped oxide templates leading to the formation of highly ordered linear nanoparticle arrays. Their formation has been monitored in-situ by reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS), a spectroscopic optical technique allowing for the measurement of the plasmon resonance frequency already during formation. RAS has been employed to understand the growth of nanoparticles in terms of ad-atom diffusion on various oxide surfaces, growth temperatures and metal species, giving insights on the conditions required to achieve well-ordered nanoparticle arrays. The cover illustration sketches the RAS setup and shows in-situ spectra of regular Ag nanoparticle arrays on a stepped Al2O3 surface. The SEM image in the background is representative of the order achieved in the self-assembled nanoparticle arrays.