Thesis (Ph. D.)--Duke University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes "Monte Carlo SPP Scattering Simulation Program" (leaves 107-123) Includes bibliographical references (leaves 124-129) Also available online in Scholars' Bank; and in ProQuest, free to University of Oregon users.

This thesis describes work carried out on the research, development and implementation of new processes for the fabrication of surface plasmon waveguide biosensors. Fabrication of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based waveguides embedded in a thick CYTOP cladding with the incorporation of fluidic channels was achieved with improved quality and operability compared to previous attempts. The fabrication flow was modified in key areas including lithography for feature definition, gold evaporation and the upper cladding deposition procedure. The combined result yielded devices with sharper resolution of waveguides, gold surfaces with minimal aberrations, reduced surface roughness and minimization of waveguide deformation due to reduction of solvent diffusion into the lower cladding. The fabricated waveguides consisted of a thin, 35 nm, patterned gold film, embedded in a thick, 18 µm, CYTOP fluoroploymer cladding. The gold devices were exposed by O2 plasma etching through the upper cladding to form fluidic channels for the facilitation of flow of an index matched sensing medium. Optical and physical characterization of devices revealed structures of significantly improved quality over previous attempts, rendering the platform competitive for biosensing applications.

L'accessibilité aux techniques d'analyse avancées est souvent un problème pour l'établissement des diagnostics, posés par le personnel médical. Les techniques classiques requièrent souvent des installations considérables (laboratoires d'analyses) ou utilisent des équipements volumineux et difficilement disponibles. Dans le but de résoudre ce problème, l'usage d'une plateforme technologique composée de l'intégration partielle d'un biodétecteur sur une structure auto-émettrice est un intéressant point de départ. Cette plateforme considère le problème d'accessibilité à la technologie directement en réduisant la taille et le coût relié à celle-ci. L'usage d'une structure compatible aux procédés de microfabrication couramment utilisés dans l'industrie de la microélectronique indique la possibilité d'augmenter l'échelle de production aisément et à faible coût. En contrepartie, les systèmes non intégrés sont généralement plus polyvalents sur les procédés de détection possibles mais aussi plus sensible, grâce à des systèmes optiques complexes. L'intégration d'un système interférométrique et son couplage à la plateforme technologique déjà existante permettraient l'implémentation d'une mesure basée sur la détection de phase additionnelle à la mesure classique de l'intensité, menant ainsi à l'augmentation de la sensibilité du biodétecteur. En se basant sur la théorie électromagnétique des modes couplés dans les structures laminaires pour créer le tissu théorique et sur des simulations FEM (modélisation par éléments finis) pour effectuer les démonstrations préliminaires, l'objectif de cette maîtrise consiste à étudier les caractéristiques d'un biodétecteur SPR (résonance de plasmons de surface) dont la mesure d'indice de réfraction de surface utilise une approche interférométrique. Pour ce faire, une microstructure est ajoutée à la surface du biodétecteur pour coupler une lumière incidente cohérente aux modes de surface. Ces modes de surface sont le produit de l'interaction et de l'interférence des plasmons diffractés par les différentes composantes de la microstructure. Dans un cas de microstructure simple, par exemple une paire de réseaux finis adjacents, l'analyse détaillée de l'interaction des plasmons diffractés est possible, comme il sera démontré dans ce document. Cette interaction sera ensuite liée à la forme de la résonance de la structure et comparée à d'autres cas simples, dont une structure classique de SPR. Cette transformation de la forme de la résonance augmente la précision globale de la mesure du biodétecteur sans en augmenter grandement la complexité. La méthode interférométrique promet des résultats très intéressants sous certain paramètres, aussi mis en évidence dans ce mémoire.

Les résonances de plasmon de surface sont des phénomènes liés à l'oscillation collective des électrons de conduction à la surface d'un métal sous l'influence d'une onde électromagnétique. Leur étude et leurs applications connaissent actuellement un grand essor. L'extrême sensibilité des conditions de résonance des plasmons aux variations du milieu environnant a conduit à la création de dispositifs de biocapteurs ultrasensibles et résolus en temps réel permettant de grandes avancées dans le domaine biomédical. Mais leur sensibilité et leur fonction peuvent être accrues par l'utilisation de structures nanométriques où le champ électromagnétique local est fortement amplifié. Dans ce contexte, cette thèse constitue un travail préliminaire à la réalisation de biopuce à résonance de plasmon de surface localisé. Elle porte d'une part sur l'étude et la mise au point de procédés innovant de fabrication de structures d'or périodiques sur différents substrats et dont les dimensions sont de l'ordre de la centaine de nanomètres. D'autre part, elle expose le développement et l'optimisation d'un banc expérimental de mesure en optique linéaire, permettant de réaliser des mesures angulo spectrales absolues à angle d'incidence et polarisation variables. Ces développements sont illustrés par les mesures réalisées sur nos structures. Ces travaux se placent en amont de la réalisation de systèmes de détection biologiques. Menés dans le cadre d'un partenariat pluridisciplinaire, ils posent des bases solides et nécessaires à la conception et l'étude de ce type de senseur et plus généralement à l'étude en champ lointain des phénomènes de résonances plasmoniques sur des structures nanométriques.

This work describes a study of the propagation properties of a modified surface plasmon mode, and of the coupling properties of that mode using a grating coupler. The surface plasmon, a polariton involving coupling of electromagnetic waves to the plasma oscillations of a metal, is modified by the application of a dielectric overlayer to the interface between the metal and air. In the far infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum, the overlayer causes dramatic changes in several properties of the mode, which can be verified by measuring the propagation length of the mode. Measurements at a wavelength of 118.8 μm of the propagation length as a function of the thickness of a polycrystalline silicon overlayer on silver showed that the mode has the expected properties. They also indicated that the Drude model of the dielectric function of the silver is valid at 118.8 μm, even when using established Drude parameters, which are based on measurements in the visible and near infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The coupling study measured the fundamental coupling parameters, also at a wavelength of 118.8 μm, for coupling via a grating between free-space waves and the surface plasmon, and measured the effect of the overlayer on these parameters. Efficient coupling was achieved, but a theoretical treatment of the coupling system proved to be beyond the scope of first-order grating-coupler theory. This was true despite the fact that the grating amplitude was a small fraction of the wavelength, a common criterion for the application of such a theory. Several possible reasons for the breakdown of the theory were considered, but definite answers require additional experiments. The most prominent possibilities are the shape factor, and the depth of the grating compared to the penetration depth of the fields into the metal. Though not all the data is completely explained, the studies herein demonstrate that the overlayer eliminates many of the deficiencies which limit the generation and control of far-infrared surface plasmons.

Surface-plasmon polaritons propagating on thin metal films bounded by dielectrics of nearly equal refractive indexes comprise two bound modes. Calculations indicate that, while the modes are degenerate on thick films, both the real and the imaginary components of the propagation constants for the modes split into two branches on successively thinner films. Considering these non-degenerate modes, the mode exhibiting a symmetric (antisymmetric) transverse profile of the longitudinally polarized electric field component, has propagation constant components both of which increase (decrease) with decreasing film thickness. Theoretical propagation constant eigenvalue (PCE) curves have been plotted which delineate this dependence of both propagation constant components on film thickness. By means of a retroreflecting, hemispherical glass coupler in an attenuated total reflection (ATR) configuration, light of wavelength 632.8 nm coupled to the modes of thin silver films deposited on polished glass substrates. Lorentzian lineshape dips in the plots of reflectance vs. angle of incidence indicate the presence of the plasmon modes. The real and imaginary components of the propagation constraints (i.e., the propagation constant and loss coefficient) were calculated from the angular positions and widths of the ATR resonances recorded. Films of several thicknesses were probed. Results which support the theoretically predicted curves were reported.

Surfaces that are nanopatterned, metallic, and magnetic can support surface plasmon resonances, providing an alternative and effective way to reconfigure flat optical components. Utilising a range of near- and far-field characterisation techniques, the optical and magneto-optical properties of lithographically patterned thin magnetic films are investigated. A magneto-optical diffractometer was designed, assembled, and commissioned to characterise periodic magneto-plasmonic nanostructures. For Ni and Co nanostructured antidot arrays, enhanced values of the magneto-optical Kerr rotation were recorded for energies and angles corresponding to excitations of surface plasmon polaritons. This enhancement was found to be thickness dependent. Modification of the optical properties via applied transverse magnetic fields and the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons, was demonstrated for an antidot array of pure Ni. The excitation was also shown to enhance the generation of second harmonics, as well as further activate nonlinear-optical mechanisms. In order to fully resolve and explain the source of this remarkable magneto-optical activity, near field probing techniques were used. This allows for mapping the electric near-field with a sub-wavelength resolution, thereby revealing the interplay between the light and the nanostructured lattice. The measurements show that the electric near field intensification, induced by plasmon excitation, increases the polarisation conversion, which correlates to the observed magneto-optical Kerr rotation.

Nanopartículas de Fe3O4 e Fe2O3 foram sintetizadas a partir da rota de coprecipitação, em atmosfera de N2, mantendo-se o pH entre 9 e 14 na temperatura ambiente e utilizando como precursores o FeCl2 e FeCl3. Após a síntese, as nanopartículas foram tratadas termicamente a 250, 500 e 800 oC. Para obtenção de um sistema híbrido, foram sintetizadas nanopartículas de ouro sobre as nanopartículas de óxido previamente tratadas em diferentes temperaturas. As amostras foram caracterizadas por UV-Vis, difratometria de Raios-X (DRX), microscopia eletrônica de transmissão (MET), microscopia eletrônica de transmissão de alta resolução (MET-AR), espectroscopia no na região do infravermelho (FTIR), magnometria de amostra vibrante (VSM) e espectroscopia Mossbauer (EM), e aplicadas para produção de hidrogênio promovendo a decomposição da hidrazina. Os resultados mostram a síntese de nanopartículas de óxido de ferro com diâmetro médio de cerca de 7 nm. Quando aquecidas a 250 oC o tamanho médio aumentou para ca. de 11 nm e foi observado uma pequena mudança no comportamento óptico e estrutural, mantendo o comportamento superparamagnetico. Quando aquecidas a 500 oC o tamanho médio aumenta para ca. de 50nm e são observadas mudanças significativas nas propriedades ópticas, morfológicas, estruturais. Adicionalmente observa-se transição de comportamento superparamagnetico para paramagnético. Quando aquecidas a 800 oC os efeitos nas propriedades dos materiais são ainda mais significativos; as partículas apresentam tamanho médio de 200 nm, o espectro de absorção no UV-Vis muda significativamente e as partículas passam a ter comportamento pagamagnético. Os resultados obtidos pelas diferentes técnicas e somadas ao Mossbauer sugerem que as amostras sintetizadas são uma mistura de Fe3O4 e -Fe2O3, quando aquecido a 250 e 500 oC uma mistura de -Fe2O3 e -Fe2O3 e a 800 oC somente -Fe2O3. As nanopartículas de ouro sintetizadas sobre as amostras de oxido de ferro apresentaram tamanho médio de 6,0 nm e não afetaram as propriedades magnéticas dos oxidos. As amostras de óxido com nanopartículas de ouro promoveram a decomposição da hidrazina por rota completa, levando a formação de hidrogênio com seletividade de até 33%. / Fe3O4 and Fe2O3 nanoparticles were synthesized by coprecipitation route carried out under N2 atmosphere, maintaining the pH between 9 and 14 at room temperature and using FeCl2 and FeCl3 as precursors. After synthesis the iron oxide nanoparticles were thermally treated at 250, 500 and 800 oC. To obtain a hybrid system, gold nanoparticles were synthesized on the thermally treated oxide nanoparticles. The samples were analyzed by UV-Vis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (MET-AR), spectroscopy in the region of Infrared (FTIR), vibrating sample magnitude (VSM) and Mossbauer, and applied to produce H2 through hydrazine decomposition. The results show the synthesis of Fe3O4 nanoparticles with average diameter of about 7 nm. When heated to 250 oC the average size increased to about 11 nm and a small change in the optical and structural behavior was observed, while the superparamegnetic behaviour was maintained. When heated to 500 °C, the average particle size increase to ca 51nm, significant changes in the optical, morphological and structural properties are observed, in addition to a transition from superparamegnetic to paramagnetic behaviour. When heated to 800 oC the effects on the properties are even more significant; the nanoparticles increase to ca. 200 nm, the absorption spectrum in UV-Vis changes significantly and the particles present paramagnetic behaviour. The results suggest that when heated to 250 and 500 oC a mixture of -Fe2O3 e -Fe2O3 is obtained, after heating at 800 oC only -Fe2O3 is observed. The gold nanoparticles synthesized on the iron oxides present average size of 6.0 nm, and did not affect the magnetic properties of the oxides. The iron oxides/gold nanoparticle samples were efficiently applied to produce hydrogen, promoting the decomposition of hydrazin. The selectivity to hydrogen reached up to 33%.

表面等離子體基元共振是自由電子在納米尺寸的集體共振效應，該效應會產生一系列新奇的性質。貴金屬納米結構由於可以產生表面等離子體基元共振而受到各個領域廣泛的關注。在共振激發的情況下，貴金屬納米結構具有極大的散射和吸收截面積以及極強的進場放大效應。這些奇特的性質可以應用於傳感、成像、光學調製、光熱療、光催化和太陽能電池等領域。金和銀納米結構由於其表面等離子體基元共振波長處在可見和近紅外波段而受到廣泛研究。然而，在某些應用中純金或純銀納米結構不能起到很好的作用。例如，金和銀對很多化學反應的催化活性很弱或者沒有催化活性。如果把金和銀與其他金屬複合在一起就可以同時獲得表面等離子基元共振和其他效應。在我的博士研究期間，我製備了Au/Ag 和Au/Pd 複合雙金屬納米結構和研究了該複合結構的表面等離子體基元共振的性質和在氫氣傳感和光催化中的應用。 / 由於在金屬納米結構的製備中晶種起著至關重要的作用，所以我首先研究了晶種的晶體結構和形狀對雙金屬納米結構合成的影響。我研究了銀和鈀分別在相同條件下在單晶金納米棒、多晶金納米棒和納米雙錐種子上的生長過程。研究發現當晶種是單晶金納米棒時，銀和鈀的生長形成長方體雙金屬納米結構。然而，當晶種是多晶的金納米棒和納米雙錐時，銀和鈀的生長生成納米棒雙金屬結構。銀和鈀在多晶金納米棒上的生長由兩端開始，而在多晶金納米雙錐上的生長由臺階面開始。這表明在雙金屬納米結構的生長過程中納米晶種的晶體結構對最終納米結構的形貌具有決定性的作用，而納米晶種的形狀對生長動力學有明顯的影響。 / 在Au/Ag納米晶製備過程中，我發現Au/Ag納米晶具有四個表面等離子體基元共振峰。於是我對這四個共振峰的演變和共振模式進行了實驗和理論研究。電動力學模擬表明能量最低的共振峰是縱向的電偶極共振，能量次低的共振峰是沿橫向的電偶極共振，兩個高能量的共振峰是沿著橫向的電八極共振。遲滯效應和兩個垂直橫向激發的干涉是導致形成兩個電八極共振的關鍵因素。研究發現隨著銀殼厚度的增加，縱向電偶極共振峰藍移，橫向電偶極共振峰先藍移后稍微紅移，兩個電八極共振沒有明顯的峰位移動。四個表面等離子體基元共振的強度都隨著銀殼厚度的增加而增強。 / 鈀被廣泛地應用於氫氣傳感和催化反應中。於是我研究了Au/Pd 雙金屬納米結構的氫氣傳感和光催化性能。在氫氣傳感研究中，我製備了兩種不同結構的Au/Pd 納米結構。一種具有連續的鈀殼層，另一種鈀殼層不連續。對於具有連續鈀殼層的納米結構，氫氣的傳感性能隨著鈀殼層厚度的增加而增加。實驗發現當納米結構暴露在4%的氫氣中時表面等離子體基元共振峰移動高達56 nm。不連續鈀殼層的納米結構的氫氣傳感性能不如連續鈀層的納米結構。我進一步對Au/Pd 雙金屬納米結構的光催化性能進行了研究。所選取的催化反應是Suzuki 偶聯反應。研究結果表明Au/Pd 納米結構可以有效地捕獲光能來促進化學反應。由於Au/Pd 納米結構使表面等離子體基元共振功能和催化功能緊密集成在一個納米結構中，因此表面等離子基元共振部份所捕獲的光能可以有效地傳遞到催化功能部份而實現光催化。研究發現熱電子效應和光熱轉化效應同時加速化學反應。其中光熱轉化在我的實驗中體現為非局部加熱效應，熱電子對化學反應的促進作用依賴于環境溫度。因此，光熱轉化效應可以促進熱電子轉移效應。 / 本論文的研究結果有助於人們瞭解具有表面等離子體基元共振性質的雙金屬納米機構的設計和應用。對Au/Ag雙金屬納米結構表面等離子體基元共振性質的研究不僅加深了人們對雙金屬表面等離子體基元共振的瞭解而且對利用不同共振模式實現特定功能有著指導意義。對Au/Pd雙金屬納米結構在氫氣傳感和催化反應應用中的研究明確表面雙金屬表面等離子體納米結構可以實現單一組成不具備的功能，這在一定程度上有助於擴展表面等離子基元共振在生命科學、能源和環境領域的應用。 / Noble metal nanocrystals have attracted great interest from a wide range of research fields because of their intriguing properties endowed by their localized surface plasmon resonances, which are the collective oscillations of free electrons. Under resonant excitation, metal nanostructures exhibit very large scattering and absorption cross sections and large near-field enhancement. These extraordinary properties can be used in different applications, such as plasmonic sensing and imaging, plasmon-controlled optics, photothermal therapy, photocatalysis, solar cells, and so on. Gold and Silver nanocrystals have plasmon resonances in the visible and near-infrared regions. However, gold and silver are not suitable for some applications. For example, they are generally inactive for catalyzing chemical reactions. The integration of plasmonic metals with other metals can offer superior or new physical/chemical properties. In this thesis, I prepared Au/Ag and Au/Pd bimetallic nanostructures and studied their lasmonic properties and applications in hydrogen sensing and photocatalysis. / Seeds have a crucial importance in the synthesis of bimetallic nanostructures. I therefore first studied the roles of the crystalline structure and shape of seeds on the overgrowth of bimetallic nanostructures. The overgrowth of silver and palladium on single crystalline Au nanorods, multicrystalline Au nanorods, and nanobipyramids were studied under the same conditions for each metal. The growths of silver and palladium on single crystalline Au nanorods gave cuboidal nanostructures, while rod-shaped nanostructures were obtained from the growths of silver and palladium on multicrystalline Au nanorods and nanobipyramids. Moreover, the growths of silver and palladium on multicrystalline Au nanobipyramids started at the stepped side facets, while the growths started at the twin boundaries on multicrystalline Au nanorods. These results unambiguously indicate that the crystalline structure of seeds plays a significant role on the final morphologies of multimetallic nanostructures, while the seed shape has a prominent effect on the growth kinetics. / Four plasmon resonance bands were observed in Au/Ag bimetallic nanocrystals. I then studied the evolution and nature of the four plasmon bands during the silver coating on Au nanorods both experimentally and theoretically. Electrodynamic simulations revealed that the lowest-energy peak belongs to the longitudinal dipolar plasmon mode, the second-lowest-energy peak is the transverse dipolar plasmon mode, and the two highest-energy peaks can be attributed to octupolar plasmon modes. The retardation effect and the interference between two perpendicularly polarized excitations along the edge directions are important for the formation of the distinct highest-energy and second-highest-energy octupolar plasmon modes, respectively. As the Ag shell thickness is increased, the longitudinal plasmon mode blue-shifts, the transverse plasmon mode first blue-shifts and then red-shifts slightly, and the two octupolar plasmon modes stay at nearly constant wavelengths. The extinction intensities of all the four plasmon bands increase with the increase of the overall particle size. / Palladium is widely used in hydrogen sensing and catalysis. I therefore studied the applications of Au/Pd bimetallic nanostructures in hydrogen sensing and photocatalysis. Two types of Au/Pd bimetallic nanostructures, nanostructures with continuous and discontinuous Pd shells, were employed to study their hydrogen sensing performances. For the nanostructures with continuous Pd shell, the hydrogen sensing performances were improved with the increase in the Pd shell thickness. A plasmon shift of 56 nm was observed when the hydrogen concentration was 4%. The nanostructures with discontinuous Pd shell exhibited smaller plasmon shifts compared with those with continuous Pd shell. For the photocatalytic application of Au/Pd bimetallic nanostructures, I studied their photocatalytic performance for Suzuki coupling reactions. The results indicate that plasmonic Au/Pd bimetallic nanostructures can efficiently harvest light energy for chemical reactions. The intimate integration of plasmonic and catalytic components in one nanostructure enables the light energy absorbed by the plasmonic component to be directly transferred to the catalytic component. Both hot electron transfer and photothermal heating contribute to the plasmon-enhanced chemical reactions. The photothermal effect is a nonlocal heating and the contribution of the hot electron transfer effect is dependent on the environmental temperature. Therefore, the photothermal heating effect can promote the hot electron transfer effect. / I believe that my research work will be very helpful for the design and application of plasmonic bimetallic nanostructures. My study on the plasmonic properties of Au/Ag bimetallic nanocrystals has deepened the understanding of the plasmons of Au/Ag nanorods and will be helpful for utilizing the different modes to achieve specific functions. The hydrogen sensing and photocatalysis of Au/Pd bimetallic nanostructures have shown that the integration of functional components with plasmonic nanostructures can achieve unconventional properties, which will flourish the applications of plasmons in life sciences, energy, and environmental areas. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Jiang, Ruibin = 雙金屬納米結構表面等離子體基元共振的研究及其在氫氣傳感和化學反應中的應用 / 江瑞斌. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2013. / Includes bibliographical references. / Abstracts also in Chinese. / Jiang, Ruibin = Shuang jin shu na mi jie gou biao mian deng li zi ti ji yuan gong zhen de yan jiu ji qi zai qing qi chuan gan he hua xue fan ying zhong de ying yong / Jiang Ruibin. / Abstract --- p.I / Acknowledgements --- p.VI / Table of Contents --- p.VIII / List of Figures --- p.X / List of Tables --- p.XIII / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Localized surface plasmon resonances --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Applications of localized surface plasmon resonances --- p.3 / Chapter 1.3 --- Overview of this thesis --- p.13 / Chapter 2 --- Theory, Simulation, and Experimental Methods for the Investigation of LSPRs --- p.20 / Chapter 2.1 --- Theoretical methods --- p.20 / Chapter 2.2 --- Simulation methods --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3 --- Experimental methods --- p.35 / Chapter 3 --- Preparation of Metal Nanostructures --- p.43 / Chapter 3.1 --- Preparation methods for Au nanocrystals --- p.43 / Chapter 3.2 --- Seed-mediated growth method --- p.46 / Chapter 3.3 --- Metal nanostructure preparations --- p.54 / Chapter 4 --- Crystalline Structure-Determined Growth of Bimetallic Nanocrystals --- p.62 / Chapter 4.1 --- Au nanocrystal seed preparation --- p.64 / Chapter 4.2 --- Au/Ag bimetallic nanocrystals --- p.66 / Chapter 4.3 --- Au/Pd bimetallic nanocrystals --- p.71 / Chapter 4.4 --- Summary --- p.77 / Chapter 5 --- Plasmons of Au/Ag Core/Shell Bimetallic Nanocrystals --- p.83 / Chapter 5.1 --- Variations of plasmons with Ag shell thickness --- p.86 / Chapter 5.2 --- Nature of the different plasmon modes --- p.94 / Chapter 5.3 --- Summary --- p.99 / Chapter 6 --- Au/Pd Bimetallic Nanostructures for Hydrogen Sensing --- p.105 / Chapter 6.1 --- Au nanorods with continuous Pd shell for hydrogen sensing --- p.107 / Chapter 6.2 --- Au nanorods with discontinuous Pd shell for hydrogen sensing --- p.114 / Chapter 6.3 --- Theoretical simulations --- p.117 / Chapter 6.4 --- Summary --- p.119 / Chapter 7 --- Plasmon-Enhanced Chemical Reactions --- p.124 / Chapter 7.1 --- Mechanisms of plasmon enhancement in chemical reactions --- p.125 / Chapter 7.2 --- Plasmon-enhanced Suzuki coupling reactions --- p.129 / Chapter 7.3 --- Summary --- p.149 / Chapter 8 --- Conclusions --- p.156 / Curriculum Vita --- p.160