engleski

Optical properties of noble metal nanocluster hybrids and their potential for biosensing

Linear and nonlinear optical properties of functionalized forms of noble metal nanoclusters are addressed in this thesis. Noble metal nanoclusters belong to nonscalable regime in which each atom counts. They exhibit molecular like electronic transitions, due to quantum con- finement effects, which are strongly influenced by structure. These systems have potential for applications in biosensing and bioimaging, based on their unique optical, electronic and structural properties, after being stabilized either by formation of hybrid systems of metal nanoclusters and biomolecules or protecting nanoclusters by ligands. Using density functional theory and its time dependent version interplay between electronic and structural properties in hybrid nanocluster-biomolecules and ligated clusters has been investigated in order to gain insight into origins of their unique optical properties. To understand optical properties of hybrid systems, silver cluster- histidine complexes, as well as nonlinear properties of ligated silver nanoclusters have been investigated theoretically, and compared with experimental results obtained by expert international collaborators. Within this thesis the concept has been worked out allowing to design systems with large two-photon cross sections which can serve for efficient imaging of tissues and cells.

density functional theory, linear and nonlinear optical properties, noble metal nanoclusters

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