Plasmonic Nanoparticle Trapping With Inhomogeneous Temperature Fields

We propose a nanoparticle trapping approach using a plasmonic nanostructure with inhomogeneous temperature fields. Results show that the thermal force, together with the near-field optical force, makes plasmonic nanostructures a flexible and wide-range manipulation strategy for nanoparticles. The thermal effect becomes important for trapping small nanoparticles and holding nanoparticles in a wider range. By spatially changing the temperature field, the thermal effects of the plasmonic nanostructure can be designed for tailoring effective trapping potentials.