Real-Space Imaging Of Nanotip Plasmons Using Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy

We report the spatial mapping of surface plasmons on conical gold nanotips by electron energy loss spectroscopy. We observe standing-wave patterns resulting from reflections of the fundamental surface-plasmon mode at the nanotip apex. The experimental results are in very good agreement with numerical calculations using the discontinuous Galerkin time-domain method and analytical computations based on a cylindrical mode expansion.