Spatial distribution of the photopolymerization induced by localized surface plasmons: impact of the morphology of the Au nanoparticles

The analysis of the local distribution of the electric field, induced by localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), is crucial for selecting the morphology of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for specific applications. The reported study is based on an LSPR-induced near-field two-photon photopolymerization (NF2P) reaction. The initiation of NF2P is triggered by LSPR-enhanced near-field light, while in the far-field, oxygen inhibits this reaction. The spatial extent of the NF2P reaction is compared to the local electric field distribution depending on AuNP morphologies, established by numerical simulations. Overall, our results demonstrate that the photopolymerization is not only driven by the local near-field enhancement but also strongly depends on the topologies of nano-object, and the photopolymerization extension was more confined in anisotropic and sharp structures compared to isotropic ones. Additionally, we showcased its capability to confine polymerization reactions within nanoscale volumes with the possibility of controlling the localization of polymer lobes at a single triangle apex, for instance, via light polarization.