Single laser pulse induced aggregation of gold nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticles with an average diameter of 11 nm (Au(39000)) were prepared in an SDS aqueous solution. A 80-microm liquid droplet (microdroplet) of the solution was ejected into the atmosphere from a microdroplet nozzle. Structural changes of the gold nanoparticles in the microdroplet, after they were irradiated with a focused single-nanosecond laser pulse at the wavelength of 532 nm, were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and optical absorption spectroscopy. It was revealed that the gold nanoparticles are fragmented into small particles and then the small fragments aggregate with each other. The aggregation was found to be terminated 100 micros after the laser-pulse excitation.