R. Antoine et al., SURFACE-PLASMON ENHANCED 2ND-HARMONIC RESPONSE FROM GOLD CLUSTERS EMBEDDED IN AN ALUMINA MATRIX, Journal of applied physics, 84(8), 1998, pp. 4532-4536
The second order nonlinear response from 4 nm diam gold clusters embed
ded in an alumina matrix deposited on a pure silica substrate has been
recorded as a function of the wavelength of the fundamental incident
beam. The spectrum exhibits a narrow resonance band peaked at 520 nm a
s a result of the coupling of the second harmonic field with the surfa
ce plasmon of the particles. The nonlinear second harmonic response of
gold clusters is found to be blueshifted compared to the bulk, due to
the finite size effects on the cluster optical properties, as already
observed with the linear response. Furthermore, this nonlinear respon
se appears to be well described with a simple free electron model wher
e the valence electrons only participate through the screening of the
ionic cores, owing to the weakness of the interband transition contrib
ution. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(98)01820-9]