Non-spherical gold nanoparticles trapped in optical tweezers: Shape matters

0446048 - ÚPT 2016 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Brzobohatý, Oto - Šiler, Martin - Trojek, Jan - Chvátal, Lukáš - Karásek, Vítězslav - Zemánek, Pavel
Non-spherical gold nanoparticles trapped in optical tweezers: Shape matters.
Optics Express. Roč. 23, č. 7 (2015), s. 8179-8189. ISSN 1094-4087
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-16195S; GA TA ČR TE01020233; GA MŠMT(CZ) LO1212; GA MŠMT ED0017/01/01
Institutional support: RVO:68081731
Keywords : discrete-dipole approximation * anisotropic particles * plasmon-resonance * gaussian beams * microparticles * spectroscopy
Subject RIV: BH - Optics, Masers, Lasers
Impact factor: 3.148, year: 2015

We present the results of a theoretical analysis focused on three-dimensional optical trapping of non-spherical gold nanoparticles using a tightly focused laser beam (i.e. optical tweezers). We investigate how the wavelength of the trapping beam enhances trapping stiffness and determines the stable orientation of nonspherical nanoparticles in the optical trap which reveals the optimal trapping wavelength. We consider nanoparticles with diameters being between 20 nm and 254 nm illuminated by a highly focused laser beam at wavelength 1064 nm and compare our results based on the coupled-dipole method with published theoretical and experimental data. We demonstrate that by considering the non-spherical morphology of the nanoparticle we can explain the experimentally observed three-dimensional trapping of plasmonic nanoparticles with size higher than 170 nm. These results will contribute to a better understanding of the trapping and alignment of real metal nanoparticles in optical tweezers and their applications as optically controllable nanosources of heat or probes of weak forces and torques.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0248032