Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 15, 2026

DNA-magnetic Particle Binding Analysis by Dynamic and Electrophoretic Light Scattering
Published on: November 9, 2017
Self-Organization of Metal Nanoparticles in Light: Electrodynamics-Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Optical Binding
Patrick McCormack1, Fei Han1, Zijie Yan1
1Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Clarkson University , Potsdam, New York 13699, United States.
Abstract:
Light-driven self-organization of metal nanoparticles (NPs) can lead to unique optical matter systems, yet simulation of such self-organization (i.e., optical binding) is a complex computational problem that increases nonlinearly with system size. Here we show that a combined electrodynamics-molecular dynamics simulation technique can simulate the trajectories and predict stable configurations of silver NPs in optical fields. The simulated dynamic equilibrium of a two-NP system matches the probability density of oscillations for two optically bound NPs obtained experimentally. The predicted stable configurations for up to eight NPs are further compared to experimental observations of silver NP clusters formed by optical binding in a Bessel beam. All configurations are confirmed to form in real systems, including pentagonal clusters with five-fold symmetry. Our combined simulations and experiments have revealed a diverse optical matter system formed by anisotropic optical binding interactions, providing a new strategy to discover artificial materials.
Related Concept Videos
Metallic Solids
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability....
Metal-Ligand Bonds
In these complexes, transition metals form coordinate covalent bonds, a kind of Lewis acid-base interaction in which both of the electrons in the bond are contributed by a donor (Lewis base) to an electron acceptor (Lewis acid). The Lewis acid in...
Molecular Models
Bonding in Metals
Alkali Metals
Table 1: Properties of the alkali metals
The Equilibrium Binding Constant and Binding Strength

