The contents of this dissertation are divided into two sections: (1) the preparation and characterization of quaternary rare-earth chalcogenides and oxychalcogenides and (2) the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) spectroscopy of metallic nanoparticles fabricated by nanosphere lithography (NSL).
Single crystals of CsTmCoS3, CsYbCoS3, CsHoCoSe3, CsYbCoSe3, and CsYbZnSe3 have been prepared...