Nanoscale Terahertz Monitoring on Multiphase Dynamic Assembly of Nanoparticles under Aqueous Environment

Eui Sang Yu, Sang Hun Lee, Geon Lee, Q. Han Park, Aram J. Chung, Minah Seo, Yong Sang Ryu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Probing the kinetic evolution of nanoparticle (NP) growth in liquids is essential for understanding complex nano-phases and their corresponding functions. Terahertz (THz) sensing, an emerging technology for next-generation laser photonics, has been developed with unique photonic features, including label-free, non-destructive, and molecular-specific spectral characteristics. Recently, metasurface-based sensing platforms have helped trace biomolecules by overcoming low THz absorption cross-sectional limits. However, the direct probing of THz signals in aqueous environments remains difficult. Here, the authors report that vertically aligned nanogap-hybridized metasurfaces can efficiently trap traveling NPs in the sensing region, thus enabling us to monitor the real-time kinetic evolution of NP assemblies in liquids. The THz photonics approach, together with an electric tweezing technique via spatially matching optical hotspots to particle trapping sites with a nanoscale spatial resolution, is highly promising for underwater THz analysis, forging a route toward unraveling the physicochemical events of nature within an ultra-broadband wavelength regime.

Original languageEnglish
Article number2004826
JournalAdvanced Science
Volume8
Issue number11
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021 Jun 9

Keywords

  • nanoparticles
  • nanophotonics and plasmonics
  • nanoscale electrical tweezers
  • optical biosensors
  • terahertz optics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Medicine (miscellaneous)
  • Chemical Engineering(all)
  • Materials Science(all)
  • Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (miscellaneous)
  • Engineering(all)
  • Physics and Astronomy(all)

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