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Capillary-Force-Assisted Optical Tuning of Coupled Plasmons
Tao Ding1, Jan Mertens1, Daniel O Sigle1
1Nanophotonics Centre, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|September 24, 2015
Summary
An ultrathin polymer spacer layer is optically heated and restructured by capillary forces to widen the gap between plasmonic metals. This tunable method shifts plasmon resonance over 150 nm, from near-infrared to visible wavelengths.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Materials Science
- Optics
Background:
- Plasmonic nanostructures are crucial for optical applications.
- Precise control over plasmon resonance is essential for tuning optical properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a method for dynamically tuning plasmon resonance in plasmonic nanostructures.
- To investigate the use of optical heating and capillary forces for restructuring polymer spacers.
Main Methods:
- An ultrathin polymer spacer layer between plasmonic metal components was subjected to local optical heating.
- Capillary forces were utilized to restructure the softened polymer layer, increasing the gap between metal components.
Main Results:
- The polymer spacer restructuring resulted in a continuous blue-shift of the coupled plasmon resonance.
- The tuning range achieved was greater than 150 nm, spanning from the near-infrared to the visible spectrum.
- The spectral shift was tightly controllable by adjusting irradiation time or power.
Conclusions:
- Local optical heating and capillary forces offer a precise method for tuning plasmon resonance.
- This technique enables dynamic control over the optical properties of plasmonic nanostructures.
- The demonstrated >150 nm tuning range has significant implications for optical device applications.
