Surface phonon polaritons(SPh Ps) are potentially very attractive for subwavelength control and manipulation of light at the infrared to terahertz wavelengths. Probing their propagation behavior in nanostructures is crucial to guide rational device design. Here, aided by monochromatic scanning transmission electron microscopy-electron energy loss spectroscopy technique, we measure the dispersion relation of SPh Ps in individual Si C nanorods and reveal the effects of size and shape. We find that the SPh Ps can be modulated by the geometric shape and size of Si C nanorods. The energy of SPh Ps shows redshift with decreasing radius and the surface optical phonon is mainly concentrated on the surface with large radius. Therefore, the fields can be precisely confined in specific positions by varying the size of the nanorod, allowing effective tuning at nanometer scale. The findings of this work are in agreement with dielectric response theory and numerical simulation, and provide novel strategies for manipulating light in polar dielectrics through shape and size control, enabling the design of novel nanoscale phononphotonic devices.
