Dissertation Defense Announcement

The College of Arts and Sciences announces the final dissertation defense of 

Elise Chaffin

for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy

June 30, 2016 at 10:00 am in 318, Smith Chemistry Building 

Major Advisors: Yongmei Wang, PhD and Xiaohua Huang, PhD

The Optical-plasmonic Properties of Core-shell Structured, Metallic Nanoparticles

ABSTRACT: Noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit unique optical-plasmonic properties that make them advantageous for numerous applications. However, the suitability of a particle for a specific application often depends on its LSPR properties. Mie Theory and the Discrete Dipole approximation enable the computation of optical scattering and absorption spectra, and surface electric fields (E-fields) providing valuable insight into NP LSPR properties. In this dissertation, we have investigated the effects of various NP attributes. Through these studies we have aimed to guide experimental efforts in optimizing the design of NPs as well as to provide a better understanding of the observed LSPR properties.