title: Photon-induced generation and spatial control of extreme pressure at the nanoscale with a gold bowtie nano-antenna platform.
abstract: Precise spatial and temporal control of pressure stimulation at the nanometer scale is essential for the fabrication and manipulation of nano-objects, and for exploring single-molecule behaviour of matter under extreme conditions. However, state-of-the-art nano-mechanical transducers require sophisticated driving hardware and are currently limited to moderate pressure regimes. Here we report a gold plasmonic bowtie (AuBT) nano-antennas array that can generate extreme pressure stimulus of ∼100 GPa in the ps (10-12s) time scale with sub-wavelength resolution upon irradiation with ultra-short laser pulses. Our method leverages the non-linear interaction of photons with water molecules to excite a nano-plasma in the plasmon-enhanced near-field and induce extreme thermodynamic states. The proposed method utilizes laser pulses, which in contrast to micro- and nano-mechanical actuators offers simplicity and versatility. We present time-resolved shadowgraphic imaging, electron microscopy and simulation data that suggest that our platform can efficiently create cavitation nano-bubbles and generate intense pressure in specific patterns, which can be controlled by the selective excitation of plasmon modes of distinct polarizations. This novel platform should enable probing non-invasively the mechanical response of cells and single-molecules at time and pressure regimes that are currently difficult to reach with other methods.
authors.affiliation: Laser Processing and Plasmonics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Physics, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3A7, Canada. michel.meunier@polymtl.ca and SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, North Haugh, St. Andrews, KY16 9SS, UK.
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boutopoulos
authors.affiliation: Laser Processing and Plasmonics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Physics, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3A7, Canada. michel.meunier@polymtl.ca.
authors.forename: Adrien
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dagallier
authors.affiliation: Laser Processing and Plasmonics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Physics, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3A7, Canada. michel.meunier@polymtl.ca and Dipartimento di Chimica "A.M. Tamburro", Università della Basilicata, Viadell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sansone
authors.affiliation: Laser Processing and Plasmonics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Physics, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3A7, Canada. michel.meunier@polymtl.ca.
authors.forename: Andre-Pierre
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Blanchard-Dionne
authors.affiliation: Laser Processing and Plasmonics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Physics, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3A7, Canada. michel.meunier@polymtl.ca.
authors.forename: Évelyne
authors.initials: É
authors.lastname: Lecavalier-Hurtubise
authors.affiliation: Laser Processing and Plasmonics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Physics, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3A7, Canada. michel.meunier@polymtl.ca and Laboratory of Biosensors and Nanomachines, Department of Chemistry, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3T 1J4, Canada.
authors.forename: Étienne
authors.initials: É
authors.lastname: Boulais
authors.affiliation: Laser Processing and Plasmonics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Physics, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3A7, Canada. michel.meunier@polymtl.ca.
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meunier