Acoustic vibrations of metal nanoparticles: high order radial mode detection

The vibrational radial modes of silver nanospheres embedded in a glass matrix are investigated using a high sensitivity femtosecond pump-probe technique. The results yield evidence for coherent launching of the fundamental and higher order radial modes in agreement with a sphere dilation mediated excitation model. The results are consistent with low-frequency Raman scattering experiments. # 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved