Plasmon responses in the sodium tungsten bronzes

The sodium tungsten bronzes (Na_x WO₃) are vividly coloured metallic materials where the optical behaviour can be attributed to the bulk plasma frequency occurring in the visible part of the spectrum. A combination of density functional theory (DFT) calculations and experimental electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) was used to assess their bulk and surface plasmon responses. It was observed that Na_x WO₃ can sustain strong localised surface plasmon resonances (LSPR) with an energy that can be tuned by changing the Na content. They have a stronger plasmonic response when compared to Au and do not suffer from the atmospheric corrosion of Ag, giving them good potential for plasmonic applications