Gold nanorods have significant technological potential and are of broad interest to the nanotechnology community. The discovery of the seeded, wet-chemical synthetic process to produce them may be regarded as a landmark in the control of metal nanoparticle shape. However, the mechanism by which the initial spherical gold seeds acquire anisotropy is a critical, yet poorly understood, factor. Here we examine the very early stages of rod growth using a combination of techniques including cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, optical spectroscopy, and computational modeling. Reconciliation of the available experimental observations can only be achieved by invoking a stochastic, "popcorn"-like mechanism of growth, in which individual seeds lie quiescent for some time before suddenly and rapidly growing into rods. This is quite different from the steady, concurrent growth of nanorods that has been previously generally assumed. Furthermore we propose that the shape is controlled by the ratio of surface energy of rod sides to rod ends, with values of this quantity in the range of 0.3-0.8 indicated for typical growth solutions.

Efficient and cost-effective multiplexed detection schemes for proteins in small liquid samples would bring drastic advances to fields like disease detection or water quality monitoring. We present a novel multiplexed sensor with randomly deposited aptamer functionalized gold nanorods. The spectral position of plasmon resonances of individual nanorods, monitored by dark-field spectroscopy, respond specifically to different proteins. We demonstrate nanomolar sensitivity, sensor recycling, and the potential to upscale to hundreds or thousands of targets.

A pair of coupled gold nanorods excited by a beam of free electrons acts as a transmitting Hertzian antenna in the optical part of the spectrum. Significantly enhanced resonant emission is observed from the antenna when the electron beam is injected around the junction between the rods, where the local density of electromagnetic states is elevated.

Infrared-blocking coatings on window glass can be produced by dispersing gold nanorods into a polymer coating.The spectral-selectivity of the coating is controlled by the shape and aspect ratio of the nanoparticles, which are in turn determined by the conditions applied during their synthesis. Coatings of nanorods in polyvinyl alcohol were deposited onto glass and characterized in both laboratory and sun-lit conditions. Selective attenuation of the nearinfrared was demonstrated with the test panels transmitting approximately one third of the incident solar radiation, and absorbing nearly two thirds. The high absorptive cross-sections of the gold nanorods suggests that they can be applied in efficacious coatings at relatively low volume fractions.

We present here the first high-resolution scanning tunneling microscope images showing that 1,4-phenylenedimethanethiol forms mono-and multilayers on gold(111) substrates under particular solutiondeposition conditions. The high-resolution images show that the deposition conditions strongly influence the type of surface structure formed. The molecular structures were also probed using molecular-etching techniques and through deposition and imaging of gold nanoparticles. The current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the multilayer structures are significantly different from those of monolayers. For the first time, scanning electron microscopy experiments were used to investigate the homogeneity of larger surface areas of the surface structures.