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 language | English |
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Article number | 2004826 |
Journal | Advanced Science |
Volume | 8 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 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)