title: Role of interfering optical fields in the trapping and melting of gold nanorods and related clusters.
abstract: We investigate the simultaneous trapping and melting of a large number of gold (Au) nanorods by using a single focused laser beam at 800 nm which is in resonance with the longitudinal surface plasmon resonance of Au nanorods. The trapping and melting processes were monitored by the two-photon luminescence of Au nanorods. A multi-ring-shaped pattern was observed in the steady state of the trapping process. In addition, optical trapping of clusters of Au nanorods in the orbits circling the focus was observed. The morphology of the structure after trapping and melting of Au nanorods was characterized by scanning electron microscope. It was revealed that Au nanorods were selectively melted in the trapping region. While Au nanorods distributed in the dark rings were completely melted, those located in the bright rings remain unmelted. The multi-ring-shaped pattern formed by the interference between the incident light and the scattered light plays an important role in the trapping and melting of Au nanorods.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Nanophotonic Functional Materials and Devices, School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Dong
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Guang-Can
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qiao-Feng
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ouyang
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Achanta Venu
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Gopal
authors.forename: Vyacheslav A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Trofimov
authors.forename: Tatiana M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Lysak
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007368:Interferometry / Q000379:methods; D007834:Lasers; D008027:Light; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry; D055095:Optics and Photonics; D017785:Photons; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D006046:Gold