A simple and versatile approach was developed to generate hierarchical assemblies of ultra-small gold nanocluster thin films using the combination of galvanic reaction and a block copolymer coordinated with gold complex. Variation of the temperature allows effective control over the optical response of these stimuli-responsive organic-nanocluster hybrid structures.

The lifetime of Er3+ in silicon-rich silicon oxide has been reported with quite widely varying values ranging from 9 ms to 2 ms. In this work, we consider the direct impact of silicon nanoclusters on the erbium radiative lifetime, and show that it is a function of the silicon nanocluster size, and also the erbium proximity to the nanocluster.

We experimentally observe magnetic resonance in the visible frequency region from self-assembled silver nanocluster metamaterials. Extensive numerical modeling studies were conducted to find the optimal nanocluster dimensions. Self-assembly of silver nanoparticles coated with nanoscale silica coating was then performed on polymer templates fabricated by laser interference lithography. The nanoc...

We have carried out scalar relativistic density functional theory calculations within the projector augmented wave scheme and the pseudopotential approach, to examine the effect of ligands on the geometric and electronic structure of four Au13 isomers: planar, flake, cuboctahedral, and icosahedral clusters. We find, in agreement with previous theoretical calculations, that for the clean cluster...

An effective method for ultrafast magnetization reversal of nanoclusters is suggested. The method is based on coupling a nanocluster to a resonant electric circuit. This coupling causes the appearance of a magnetic feedback field acting on the cluster, which drastically shortens the magnetization reversal time. The influence of the resonator properties, nanocluster parameters, and external fiel...

We report the discovery of a DNA sequence that templates a highly stable fluorescent silver nanocluster. In contrast to other DNA templated silver nanoclusters that have a relatively short shelf-life, the fluorescent species templated in this new DNA sequence retains significant fluorescence for at least a year. Moreover, this new silver nanocluster possesses low cellular toxicity and enhanced ...

The theoretically predicted volcano plot for hydrogen production shows the best catalyst as the one that ensures that the hydrogen binding step is thermodynamically neutral. However, the experimental realization of this concept has suffered from the inherent surface heterogeneity of solid catalysts. It is even more challenging for molecular catalysts because of their complex chemical environmen...

In this thesis, we show the results of the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the collisions between nanoscale objects such as (i) nanocluster depositions on a crystalline surface, (ii) nanocluster depositions on a free-standing graphene, and (iii) oblique impacts of two nanoclusters. The aim of this thesis is to analyze the mechanics of nanoscale objects and to explain the results of the m...

The chemical and physical properties of nanoclusters largely depend on their sizes and shapes. This is partly due to finite size effects influencing the local electronic structure of the nanocluster atoms which are located on the nanofacets and on their edges. Here we present a thorough study on graphene-supported Rh nanocluster assemblies and their geometry-dependent electronic structure obtai...