Infrared surface plasmons on a Au waveguide electrode open new redox channels associated with the transfer of energetic carriers.Plasmonic catalysis holds promise for opening new reaction pathways inaccessible thermally or for improving the efficiency of chemical processes. 
Au waveguide electrode
We report a gold stripe waveguide along which infrared (λ0 ~ 1350 nanometers) surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) propagate, operating simultaneously as an electrochemical working electrode.  Chronoamperometry measurements with SPPs modulated at 600 hertz yield a commensurately modulated current response, ruling out thermally enhanced mass transport. 
SPPs
Cyclic voltammograms obtained under SPP excitation enable oxidative processes involving energetic holes to be investigated separately from reductive processes involving energetic electrons. 
cyclic voltammograms
Under SPP excitation, redox currents increase by 10×, redox potentials decrease by ~2× and split in correlation with photon energy, and the charge transfer resistance drops by ~2× as measured using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. 
electrochemical impedance spectroscopy