title: Nanorod dynamics in ac electric fields.
abstract: Metal and semiconductor nanorods polarized by an external electric field tend to align parallel to this field. We derived the equation of motion for this alignment, taking into account electrostatic forces, thermal fluctuations and viscous resistance of the liquid the nanorods are suspended in. It was solved for a strong ac electric field, as well as for the combination of strong dc and weak ac fields. The results were used for calculations of the capacity of the nanorod solution, its frequency dispersion and dependence on the field strength. Modification of the nanorod absorption spectra under the influence of an electric field was also considered. It was shown that metal nanorods in laser radiation, with the frequency belonging to the interval between longitudinal and transverse plasmon modes, tend to align perpendicular, rather than parallel, to the optical electric field.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Advanced Nanotechnology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Ruda
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shik