Abstract
Interest in nanotechnology is driven by unprecedented means to tailor physical behavior via structure and composition. Unlike bulk components, minute changes in size and shape can affect the optical, catalytic, and electronic properties of nanoparticles. Characterization of such structure-function relationships and better understanding of structure control mechanisms are crucial to the development of novel applications such as biological sensors and plasmonic devices. The first part of this talk will cover recent experimental advances in optical and electron microscopy. Results from correlative, single particle approaches will be discussed, including new quantitative understanding on the effects of size and shape, as well as their interrelation, on plasmonic properties such as resonance frequency, field enhancement, plasmon decay, and refractive index sensitivity.In the second part, an analytical shape model for the kinetic growth of plasmonically relevant shapes will be presented, and its use in optical modeling will be discussed.