Symmetry breaking, Anisotropic Growth and Spectroscopy of Single Crystal Gold Nanoparticles

This thesis reports investigations into both synthesis and the morphology-optical property relationships of gold nanoparticles. Specifically, the single crystal gold nanorod is chosen as a model to investigate the symmetry breaking of single crystal gold seeds and the effect of this on the gold nanorod aspect ratio (a ratio of length to width of gold nanorods) control during nanorod growth. Single crystal gold nanorods are also chosen for a case study into the effect of the tip morphologies on the optical properties via correlated single particle spectroscopy. In an extension to the optical properties, surface plasmon resonance coupling of gold nanocube dimers are investigated.