Multi-pulse laser-induced bubble formation and nanoparticle aggregation using MoS(2) nanoparticles

Understanding of how particles and light interact in a liquid environment is vital for optical and biological applications. MoS(2) has been shown to enhance nonlinear optical phenomena due to the presence of a direct excitonic resonance. Its use in biological applications is predicated on knowledge of how MoS(2) interacts with ultrafast (< 1 ps) pulses. In this experiment, the interaction between two femtosecond pulses and MoS(2) nanoparticles suspended in liquid is studied. We found that the laser pulses induce bubble formation on the surface of a nanoparticle and a nanoparticle aggregate then forms on the surface of the trapped bubble. The processes of formation of the bubble and the nanoparticle aggregation are intertwined.