The beginnings of plasmomechanics: towards plasmonic strain sensors

Abstract

This article exposes the beginnings of a new field which could be named as “plasmomechanics”. Plasmomechanics comes from the convergence between mechanics and plasmonics. Here we discuss a relatively recent topic whose technological aim is the development of plasmonic strain sensors. The idea is based on the ability to deduce Au nanoparticles (NPs) distance distributions from polarized optical extinction spectroscopy which could thus give access to material strains. Variations of interparticle distances distributions can indeed lead to variations of plasmonic coupling and thus to material color change as shown here experimentally and numerically for random Au NP assemblies deposited onto elastomer films.

Keywords

localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) / metallic nanoparticle / strain / composite material / elastomeric film

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Acknowledgements

Financial support of NanoMat (www.nanomat.eu) by the “Ministère de l’enseignement supérieur et de la recherche”, the “Conseil régional Champagne-Ardenne”, the “Fonds Européen de Développement Régional (FEDER) fund”, COST Action MP1302 – NanoSpectroscopy and the “Conseil général de l’Aube” is acknowledged. T.M. thanks the DRRT (Délégation Régionale à la Recherche et à la Technologie) of Champagne-Ardenne, the Labex ACTION project (contract ANR-11-LABX-01-01) and the CNRS via the chaire “optical nanosensors” for financial support.

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg