Plasmon hybridization model generalized to conductively bridged nanoparticle dimers.

Charge transfer introduced by a conductive junction bridging a nanoparticle dimer can have a pronounced effect on the optical properties of the system. We have extended the plasmon hybridization model to include conductive junctions and charge transfer effects. From our model, we are able to derive all the plasmon resonances of the bridged dimer, including the charge transfer plasmon (CTP), and predict their trends when system parameters are varied. In particular, we find that CTP is a result of a sufficiently narrow monopole mode interacting with multipolar (including dipolar) modes. The screening arising from charge transfer induces a blueshift of the hybridized bonding dimer modes and decreases the electric field in the junction. Our model may serve as an important guide for optical properties of bridged nanoparticle aggregates.