Characterization of the electron- and photon-driven plasmonic excitations of metal nanorods.

A computational analysis of the electron- and photon-driven surface-plasmon resonances of monomer and dimer metal nanorods is presented to elucidate the differences and similarities between the two excitation mechanisms in a system with well-understood optical properties. By correlating the nanostructure's simulated electron energy-loss spectrum and loss-probability maps with its induced polarization and scattered electric field we discern how certain plasmon modes are selectively excited and how they funnel energy from the excitation source into the near- and far-field. Using a fully retarded electron-scattering theory capable of describing arbitrary three-dimensional nanoparticle geometries, aggregation schemes, and material compositions, we find that electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) is able to indirectly probe the same electromagnetic hot spots that are generated by an optical excitation source. Comparison with recent experiment is made to verify our findings.