Synthesis and optical properties of dyes encapsulated in gold hollow nanoshells

Gold nanomaterials are promising objects for applications in optics and medicine because of their unique properties related to the Surface Plasmon Resonances (SPR) phenomena. It is possible to tune these properties with the control of the size and shape of the nanomaterials. Gold hollow spheres nanomaterials are an interesting concept for encapsulation of either dyes or drugs. The study of their properties and their behavior in a bio-environment still remains scarce and some phenomena are still to be explained in particular regarding local field enhancement effect or quenching of their photophysical properties. In this work we describe a process allowing inclusion of optical dyes in gold nanoshells and evaluate the optical properties.

► We prepare original gold nanoshells incorporating dyes.
► The spectroscopies of the shell and the dyes are presented.
► The dyes are located in the solid state inside the shells.
► Stable reproducible synthesis of dye@Au nanoshells can be achieved.
► They exhibit specific original optical properties.