Acoustic vibrations of metal nano-objects: Time-domain investigations

Theoretical and time-domain experimental investigations of the vibrational acoustic response of nano-objects are described focusing on metallic ones. Acoustic vibrations are modeled using a macroscopic-like approach based on continuum mechanics with the proper boundary conditions, a model which yields results in excellent agreement with the experimental ones and those of atomistic calculations, down to the nanometric scale. Vibrational mode excitation and detection mechanisms and the associated mode selection in ultrafast pump–probe spectroscopy are discussed, and the measured time-dependent signals in single and ensemble of nanoparticles modeled. The launched modes, their period and their damping rate are compared to experimental results obtained on ensembles of nano-objects with different composition, morphology and environment, and with size ranging from one to hundreds of nanometers. Recent extension of time-domain spectroscopy to individual nano-objects has shed new light on the vibrational responses of isolated nanoparticles, in particular on their damping, but also raises questions on the origin of its large particle to particle dispersion.