Novel approach to design magnetic plasmonic nano-hybrids

Abstract

Multifunctional magnetic-plasmonic nanohybrid architecture has attracted much interest in the recent years due to its unique magnetic and optical properties. Coupling of these two kind of unique materials is a challenge, which is expected to broaden and open the door for many new exciting applications. With this motivation in mind, the present investigation is planned and demonstrated in different chapters of the thesis. First chapter gives the short introduction to the field of magnetic nanoparticles and their enhanced applications upon integrating with the plasmonic nanoparticles. Though brief but a critical review of literature on the motivation behind the work is presented mainly to answer the following questions: (i) how the combination of unique plasmonic characteristics and integrated functions of multi-component magnetic nanoparticles will find modern applications, especially in the area of biomedicine and electronics. (ii) how the magnetic functionality permits the control of the plasmonic properties by an external magnetic field, which allows the development of active plasmonic devices. (iii) what should be the strategy to obtain stable magnetic-plasmonic nanohybrids since silver is prone to get oxidized. The second chapter presents the brief description of the novel low temperature synthetic routes which allows obtaining multifunctional magnetic - plasmonic nanohybrids. Novel approach to further design the nanohybrid structures by appropriate surface functionality is briefly discussed in the second chapter. A brief discussion on different experimental tools employed to characterize the nanohybrids for structural, magnetic, optical behaviour. Results and discussion chapters are planned according to the systematic progress in the synthetic routes and the challenges faced to obtain the stable silver nanoparticles while integrating that to the magnetic nanocrystals. We have put an attempt to introduce a new synthetic route and demonstrate a generic approach to form stable dispersion of magnetic-plasmonic nanohybrids in hydrophobic media by using appropriate surface functionalities.