title: Plasmonic Coupling Dynamics of Silver Nanoparticles in an Optical Trap.
abstract: We investigate binding and plasmonic coupling between optically trapped 80 nm silver spheres using a combination of spectroscopic sensing and 3D interferometric laser particle tracking on a 1 μs time scale. We demonstrate that nanoparticle coupling can be either spontaneous or induced by another particle through confinement of diffusion. We reveal ultrafast entries and exits of nanoparticles inside the optical trap, fast particle rearrangements before binding, and dimer formation allowing new insights into nanoparticle self-assembly.
authors.affiliation: Lab for Bio- and Nano-Photonics, Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg , Georges-Köhler-Str.102, 79110 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blattmann
authors.affiliation: Lab for Bio- and Nano-Photonics, Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg , Georges-Köhler-Str.102, 79110 Freiburg, Germany.|BIOSS - Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg , Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rohrbach
keywords: Metal nanoparticle; back focal plane interferometry; optical trapping; plasmonic coupling; reflection spectroscopy