Laser manipulation of plasmonic nanoparticles for SERS and sensing

Book chapter, 2012

Optical tweezers have found widespread use in studies of biological macromolecules and in manipulation of microscopic objects, including biological cells and a variety of dielectric particles. But rapid progress over the last decade has demonstrated that optical tweezers also can be used as a powerful method for manipulation and control of plasmonic metal nanostructures. Here, we review our recent results in this area with a focus on the interaction between nanoparticles confined in an optical trap and applications in surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy.