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Actuating Single Nano-Oscillators with Light

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

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Type

Article

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Authors

Cormier, S 
Ding, T 
Turek, V 

Abstract

jats:titleAbstract</jats:title>jats:pThermoresponsive polymers can be used to rapidly actuate individual nanoparticles forming nanomechanical oscillators. Such systems are realized here with poly(jats:italicN</jats:italic>‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM)‐coated gold nanoparticles deposited on gold films, which have a strong optical response that can be dynamically tracked. Changes in temperature surrounding the nanoparticles result in the contraction or expansion of the PNIPAM coating, thereby displacing the gold nanoparticles up and down on the gold mirror. Particle oscillation is optically monitored via the spectral position of the coupled plasmon modes, achieving sub‐millisecond translocation speeds when actuated by light via plasmonic heating. These fast nano‐oscillators can also generate forces exceeding 1 nN with efficiencies already exceeding 1%, which makes them ideal prototypes for nanomachines.</jats:p>

Description

Keywords

actuators, fast switching, gold nanoparticles, nanomachines, plasmonics, PNIPAM, thermoresponsive

Journal Title

Advanced Optical Materials

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2195-1071
2195-1071

Volume Title

6

Publisher

Wiley
Sponsorship
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/G060649/1)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/L027151/1)
European Research Council (320503)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/N016920/1)
European Research Council (778616)