Restructuring and modification of metallic nanorod arrays using femtosecond laser direct writing

Local restructuring of metallic nanorod arrays and the fabrication of metallodielectric microstructures using direct femtosecond laser writing technologies have been studied. Femtosecond laser ablation has demonstrated the possibility to create sharp boundaries (down to a single nanorod) on the nanorod array. Polymer structures on the nanorods can be used to control the resonance wavelengths and thus the effective refractive index of surface plasmons supported by the array. The structured nanorods and their polymer composites are important for applications in light guiding and the development of nonlinear optical nanodevices. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.