Exciton–Plasmon Interactions in Quantum Dot–Gold Nanoparticle Structures

We present a self-assembly method to construct CdSe/ZnS quantum dot–gold nanoparticle complexes. This method allows us to form complexes with relatively good control of the composition and structure that can be used for detailed study of the exciton–plasmon interactions. We determine the contribution of the polarization-dependent near-field enhancement, which may enhance the absorption by nearly two orders of magnitude and that of the exciton coupling to plasmon modes, which modifies the exciton decay rate.