Shun-Fa Wang

We demonstrate nanoscale control over aggregation-induced emission (AIE) and second harmonic generation (SHG) by using optical trapping to manipulate a cyano-substituted distyrylbenzene (CDSB)-substituted polymer. The precise manipulation afforded by a tightly focused laser beam induces the formation of micrometer-sized polymer aggregates, demonstrating control over structure at the microscale. These aggregates exhibit yellow fluorescence with a prominent emissive species at 577 nm. Notably, further laser irradiation generates distinct aggregates characterized by blue fluorescence and strong SHG emission, indicating the formation of noncentrosymmetric microstructures with enhanced nonlinear optical properties. We elucidate the dynamics and mechanisms governing these disparate aggregation behaviors, highlighting the potential of optical trapping to control both AIE and SHG for the rational design of advanced functional microstructured materials and photonic devices, such as optical switches or frequency converters.

Optical tweezers activate the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) of polymer-appended tetraphenylethene to manipulate the dual fluorescence behavior. The fluorescent color from green to blue can be freely adjusted by alternating the laser power.

1D polymer nanomaterials have attracted significant interest in recent years because of their unique properties and promising applications in various fields. It is, however, still a challenge to fabricate polymer nanoarrays with desired sizes and controlled morphologies. Here, an unprecedented approach, the laser‐assisted nanowetting (LAN) method, to selectively fabricate polymer nanoarrays is presented. Polystyrene (PS) is blended with gold nanorods (AuNRs), which are used to absorb the energy from the laser. After the blend films are brought in contact with AAO templates, the AuNRs at regions shone by the laser beams absorb the energy and heat the surrounding polymer chains, resulting in the formation of PS/AuNRs arrays in selected areas. This work paves a new research direction for developing template‐based polymer nanomaterials.

We present spatiotemporal control of aggregation‐induced emission enhancement (AIEE) of a protonated tetraphenylethene derivative by optical manipulation. A single submicrometer‐sized aggregate is initially confined by laser irradiation when its fluorescence is hardly detectable. The continuous irradiation of the formed aggregate leads to sudden and rapid growth, resulting in bright yellow fluorescence emission. The fluorescence intensity at the peak wavelength of 540 nm is tremendously enhanced with growth, meaning that AIEE is activated by optical manipulation. Amazingly, the switching on/off of the activation of AIEE is arbitrarily controlled by alternating the laser power. This result means that optical manipulation increases the local concentration, which overcomes the electrostatic repulsion between the protonated molecules, namely, optical manipulation changes the aggregate structure. The dynamics and mechanism in AIEE controlled by optical manipulation will be discussed from the viewpoint of molecular conformation and association depending on the laser power.

We present spatiotemporal control of aggregation‐induced emission enhancement (AIEE) of a protonated tetraphenylethene derivative by optical manipulation. A single submicrometer‐sized aggregate is initially confined by laser irradiation when its fluorescence is hardly detectable. The continuous irradiation of the formed aggregate leads to sudden and rapid growth, resulting in bright yellow fluorescence emission. The fluorescence intensity at the peak wavelength of 540 nm is tremendously enhanced with growth, meaning that AIEE is activated by optical manipulation. Amazingly, the switching on/off of the activation of AIEE is arbitrarily controlled by alternating the laser power. This result means that optical manipulation increases the local concentration, which overcomes the electrostatic repulsion between the protonated molecules, namely, optical manipulation changes the aggregate structure. The dynamics and mechanism in AIEE controlled by optical manipulation will be discussed from the viewpoint of molecular conformation and association depending on the laser power.

Assembling dynamics of polystyrene nanoparticles by optical trapping is studied with utilizing transmission/reflection microscopy and reflection microspectroscopy. A single nanoparticle assembly with periodic structure is formed upon the focused laser irradiation at solution surface layer and continuously grows up to a steady state within few minutes. By controlling nanoparticle and salt concentrations in the colloidal solution, the assembling behavior is obviously changed. In the high concentration of nanoparticles, the assembly formation exhibits fast growth, gives large saturation size, and leads to dense packing structure. In the presence of salt, one assembly with the elongated aggregates was generated from the focal spot and 1064 nm trapping light was scattered outwardly with directions, while a small circular assembly and symmetrical expansion of the 1064 nm light were found without salt. The present nanoparticle assembling in optical trapping is driven through multiple scattering in gathered nanoparticles and directional scattering along the elongated aggregates derived from optical association of nanoparticles, which dynamic phenomenon is called optically evolved assembling. Repetitive trapping and release processes of nanoparticles between the assembly and the surrounding solution always proceed, and the steady state at the circular assembly formed by laser trapping is determined under optical and chemical equilibrium.

We conduct the optical trapping and assembling of polystyrene particles at the glass/solution interface by utilizing tightly focused 1064 nm laser of high power. Previously we reported that this leads to form the assembly sticking out horns consisting of single row of aligned particles through light propagation. Here, we demonstrate the laser power dependence of this phenomenon. With increasing the laser power, the particles are started to distribute around the focal spot and form the assembly larger than focal spot. The shape of the assembly becomes ellipse-like and the color at the central part of the assembly in transmission images is changed. This indicates that the assembly structure is changed, and trapping laser is started to propagate through the adjoining particles leading to horn formation. Strong laser power is necessary to elongate the horns and to align them straightly. We expect that this study will offer a novel experimental approach for assembling and crystallization of nanoparticles and molecules exclusively by optical trapping.

We report optical trapping and assembling of colloidal particles at a glass/solution interface with a tightly focused laser beam of high intensity. It is generally believed that the particles are gathered only in an irradiated area where optical force is exerted on the particles by laser beam. Here we demonstrate that, the propagation of trapping laser from the focus to the outside of the formed assembly leads to expansion of the assembly much larger than the irradiated area with sticking out rows of linearly aligned particles like horns. The shape of the assembly, its structure, and the number of horns can be controlled by laser polarization. Optical trapping study utilizing the light propagation will open a new avenue for assembling and crystallizing quantum dots, metal nanoparticles, molecular clusters, proteins, and DNA.