title: Spatial control of chemical processes on nanostructures through nano-localized water heating.
abstract: Optimal performance of nanophotonic devices, including sensors and solar cells, requires maximizing the interaction between light and matter. This efficiency is optimized when active moieties are localized in areas where electromagnetic (EM) fields are confined. Confinement of matter in these 'hotspots' has previously been accomplished through inefficient 'top-down' methods. Here we report a rapid 'bottom-up' approach to functionalize selective regions of plasmonic nanostructures that uses nano-localized heating of the surrounding water induced by pulsed laser irradiation. This localized heating is exploited in a chemical protection/deprotection strategy to allow selective regions of a nanostructure to be chemically modified. As an exemplar, we use the strategy to enhance the biosensing capabilities of a chiral plasmonic substrate. This novel spatially selective functionalization strategy provides new opportunities for efficient high-throughput control of chemistry on the nanoscale over macroscopic areas for device fabrication.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Joseph Black Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
authors.forename: Calum
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jack
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Joseph Black Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.|School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Rankine Building, Glasgow G12 8LT, UK.
authors.forename: Affar S
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8792-9829
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Karimullah
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Joseph Black Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tullius
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701, USA.
authors.forename: Larousse Khosravi
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Khorashad
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Joseph Black Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodier
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Joseph Black Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fitzpatrick
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Joseph Black Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
authors.forename: Laurence D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Barron
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Rankine Building, Glasgow G12 8LT, UK.
authors.forename: Nikolaj
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3396-846X
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gadegaard
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Joseph Black Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
authors.forename: Adrian J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lapthorn
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA.
authors.forename: Vincent M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Rotello
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Joseph Black Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
authors.forename: Graeme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cooke
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Govorov
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Joseph Black Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
authors.forename: Malcolm
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kadodwala