Generation of Hot Electrons in Plasmonic Nanoparticles with Complex Shapes

The generation of hot electrons in plasmonic nanoparticles is an intrinsic response to light, which strongly depends on the nanoparticle's shape and composition, as well as on the excitation wavelength. In this study, we present a formalism that describes the generation of these hot electrons for gold nanospheres, nanorods, and nanostars. The rate of the hot electron generation is computed for all of them, and the role of the shape is analyzed. Among them, the nanostars are the most efficient at generating hot electrons, with an internal energy efficiency of approximately 25%, owing to multiple factors such as hot spots, for example. The physical principles analyzed in this study can be used for applications in photocatalysis and photodetection.