Journal of Physical Chemistry B, Vol.109, No.24, 11858-11861, 2005
Scattered light interference from a single metal nanoparticle and its mirror image
The spatial distribution of surface plasmon scattering from a single nanoparticle changes dramatically near a metal surface as a result of interference from the direct scattered light and indirect scattered light from the mirror reflection. The unique interference patterns have been reproduced by Simulations based on Huygens-Fresnel wave propagation theory. The large spectral width of the surface plasmon scattering enables a vertical distance measurement with 10 nm resolution through this nonintrusive far field interferometry.