Polarization-induced anisotropic plasmonic nanobubbles
Phys. Rev. Applied 26, 034008 – Published 3 September, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/hzxb-g8ws
Abstract
Plasmonic nanobubbles are extensively employed in many fields owing to their distinctive optical and photothermal properties. The mechanisms behind nanobubble formation have attracted growing attention. This work proposes a model combined with the Lattice Boltzmann method and multilayer Mie theory to observe the transient optical and photothermal behaviors during nanobubble formation. The thermoplasmonic effect of gold nanoparticles reduces the density of the surrounding water, generating a spatiotemporally varying refractive index field. In this condition, it is found that for nanoparticles with a 60 nm diameter, the decline in absorption cross section during nanobubble growth leads to prolonged nucleation time. Moreover, the influence of the electric field force acting on water molecules within the plasmonic near-field on nanobubble growth dynamics is investigated. The anisotropic growth of nanobubbles in plasmonic-enhanced nonuniform local electric fields is revealed. Subsequently, rational regulation strategies are designed, including coating of nanoparticles and adjustment of incident light polarization modes, which enable precise control of the dimensional anisotropy of nanobubble thickness while maintaining the particle structural integrity. Our work provides a feasible approach for the precise regulation of nanobubble growth and mechanical effects.
