Open AccessCharacterizing gold nanorods in aqueous solution by acoustic vibrations probed with four-wave mixing
Author(s) -
Jian Wu,
Dao Xiang,
Reuven Gordon
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.24.012458
Subject(s) - nanorod , materials science , vibration , colloidal gold , electrostriction , optics , acoustic wave , four wave mixing , aqueous solution , mixing (physics) , nanoparticle , nanotechnology , molecular physics , nonlinear optics , acoustics , composite material , chemistry , physics , piezoelectricity , laser , quantum mechanics
We demonstrate continuous-wave four-wave mixing to probe the acoustic vibrations of gold nanorods in aqueous solution. The nonlinear optical response of gold nanorods, resonantly enhanced by electrostriction coupling to the acoustic vibration modes, shows an extensional vibration which combines an expansion along the long axis with a contraction along the short axis. We also observed the extensional vibration of gold nanospheres as byproducts of the gold nanorod synthesis. Theoretical calculation of the nanoparticle size and distribution based on the vibrational frequency agrees well with the experimental results obtained from the scanning electron microscopic examination, indicating the four-wave mixing technique can provide in situ nanoparticle characterization.