Shaping and patterning gold nanoparticles via micelle templated photochemistry

Shaping and positioning noble metal nanostructures are essential processes that still require laborious and sophisticated techniques to fabricate functional plasmonic interfaces. The present study reports a simple photochemical approach compatible with micellar nanolithography and photolithography that enables the growth, arrangement and shaping of gold nanoparticles with tuneable plasmonic resonances on glass substrates. Ultraviolet illumination of surfaces coated with gold-loaded micelles leads to the formation of gold nanoparticles with micro/nanometric spatial resolution without requiring any photosensitizers or photoresists. Depending on the extra-micellar chemical environment and the illumination wavelength, block copolymer micelles act as reactive and light-responsive templates, which enable to grow gold deformed nanoparticles (potatoids) and nanorings. Optical characterization reveals that arrays of individual potatoids and rings feature a localized plasmon resonance around 600 and 800 nm, respectively, enhanced photothermal properties and high temperature sustainability, making them ideal platforms for future developments in nanochemistry and biomolecular manipulation controlled by near-infrared-induced heat.