Wide-field light scattering imaging of laser trapping dynamics of single gold nanoparticles in solution

Abstract

We present direct observation of particle transfer and assembling upon laser irradiation under a microscope. We employed gold nanoparticles (60 nm) dispersed in water as optical markers and studied laser trapping and accompanying phenomenon by wide-field Rayleigh scattering microscopy. At the focal spot of the near IR laser, laser trapping of gold was observed. Simultaneously, we observed that the particle migration toward the focal spot from all the directions within several tens micrometer. We consider that thermocapillary effect due to laser heating can assist the particle migration from far away, resulting in concentration increase not only at the focal point but also near the surrounding area.