Electromagnetic forces on plasmonic nanoparticles induced by fast electron beams

Journal Article · Wed Dec 15 00:00:00 EST 2010 · Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVB.82.235429· OSTI ID:21502913

Reyes-Coronado, Alejandro; Barrera, Ruben G; Batson, Philip E; Echenique, Pedro M; Rivacoba, Alberto; Aizpurua, Javier ^[1]

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1. Donostia International Physics Center, Paseo Manuel Lardizabal 4, Donostia-San Sebastian 20018, Spain and Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (IESL), Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), P.O. Box 1385, 71110 Heraklion, Crete (Greece)

The total momentum transfer from fast electron beams, like those employed in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), to plasmonic nanoparticles is calculated. The momentum transfer is obtained by integrating the electromagnetic forces acting on the particles over time. Numerical results for single and dimer metallic nanoparticles are presented, for sizes ranging between 2 and 80 nm. We analyze the momentum transfer in the case of metallic dimers where the different relevant parameters such as particle size, interparticle distance, and electron beam impact parameter are modified. It is shown that depending on the specific values of the parameters, the total momentum transfer yields a force that can be either attractive or repulsive. The time-average forces calculated for electron beams commonly employed in STEM are on the order of piconewtons, comparable in magnitude to optical forces and are thus capable of producing movement in the nanoparticles. This effect can be exploited in mechanical control of nanoparticle induced motion.

• OSTI ID: 21502913
• Journal Information: Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Vol. 82, Issue 23; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.82.235429; (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 1098-0121
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DIMERS
ELECTRON BEAMS
IMPACT PARAMETER
MOMENTUM TRANSFER
NANOSTRUCTURES
PARTICLE SIZE
PARTICLES
PLASMONS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
BEAMS
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
LEPTON BEAMS
MICROSCOPY
PARTICLE BEAMS
QUASI PARTICLES
SIMULATION
SIZE