Optical Actuation of Nanoparticle-Loaded Liquid–Liquid Interfaces for Active Photonics

Abstract

Liquid−liquid interfaces hold the potential to serve as versatile platforms for dynamic processes, due to their inherent fluidity and capacity to accommodate surface-active materials. This study explores laser-driven actuation of liquid− liquid interfaces with and without loading of gold nanoparticles and further exploits the laser-actuated interfaces with nanoparticles for tunable photonics. Upon laser exposure, gold nanoparticles were rearranged along the interface, enabling the reconfigurable, small-aperture modulation of light transmission and the tunable lensing effect. Adapting the principles of optical and optothermal tweezers, we interpreted the underlying mechanisms of actuation and modulation as a synergy of optomechanical and optothermal effects. Our findings provide an analytical framework for understanding microscopic interfacial behaviors, contributing to potential applications in tunable photonics and interfacial material engineering.