Synthesis of AuAg/Ag/Au open nanoshells with optimized magnetic plasmon resonance and broken symmetry for enhancing second-harmonic generation

, and the characteristic shapes of pointed nanocaps, open nanoshells, and hollow nanostars are obtained. Owing to the collaboration of electric and magnetic plasmon resonance modes, the Au nanoshells exhibit significantly broadened and highly tunable optical responses. Furthermore, the morphology-dependent SHG of the Au nanoshells shows two maximal SHG intensities, corresponding to four-opening and one-opening Au nanoshells with appropriate opening sizes. Ag/Au and AuAg/Ag/Au open nanoshells were further investigated to achieve enhanced SHG. By adjusting the thickness of the Ag shell, the SHG intensity of Ag/Au open nanoshells reaches a maximum due to the gradient field at the AuAg bimetallic interface. After replacing the Ag shells with Au shells, the SHG intensity of AuAg/Ag/Au open nanoshells reaches a maximum due to further symmetry breaking. These findings provide a strategy to prepare colloidal metal nanocrystals with prospective applications ranging from nonlinear photonic nanodevices to biospectroscopy and photocatalysis.