Wavelength-Dependent Plasmon-Mediated Coalescence of Two Gold Nanorods

Plasmon-mediated coalescence of two nearby gold nanorods (NRs) suspended in water induced by the illumination of a linearly polarized (LP) light was studied theoretically. We analyzed the coupled optical forces and torques in terms of Maxwell’s stress tensor upon two identical NRs irradiated by a LP plane wave using the multiple multipole method to estimate the optomechanical outcome. Numerical results show that the light-matter interaction can perform attraction or repulsion, depending on their initial configurations. For the attraction, the end-to-end or side-by-side coalescence of the two gold NRs could be caused by the LP light, depending on the wavelength. For example, the side-by-side coalescence of two adjacent NRs of r = 15 nm and L = 120 nm is most likely induced by 800-nm LP laser beam, whereas the end-to-end coalescence by 1064-nm or 1700-nm LP laser. These distinct phenomena are attributed to the perpendicular or parallel alignment of NR to the polarization of LP light in different wavelength ranges. The magnitude of optical force, proportional to the light’s fluence, could be stronger than van der Waals force. The estimation based on quasi-static model without considering the fluid dynamics may provide an insight to optical manipulation on the self-assembly of gold colloid.