Insights into Photopolymerization at the Nanoscale Using Surface Plasmon Resonance Imaging

Near-field photopolymerization (NFPP) driven by surface plasmon resonance has attracted increasing attention in nanofabrication. This interest comes from the nanometer-scale control of polymer thickness, due to the confinement of the evanescent wave within a highly restricted volume at the surface. In this study, a novel approach using a multi-spectral surface plasmon resonance instrument is presented that gives access to real-time images of polymer growth during NFPP with nanometer sensitivity. Using the plasmonic evanescent wave for both polymerization and real-time sensing, the influence of irradiance, concentration of dye, and initiator are investigated on the threshold energy and kinetics of NFPP. How oxygen inhibition in the near field strongly affects photopolymerization is highlighted, more than in the far field. Near-field photopolymerization (NFPP) triggered by surface plasmon resonance is studied by a multi-spectral surface plasmon resonance tool for real-time monitoring of polymer growth with nanometer accuracy. Investigating NFPP kinetics, it explores the impact of factors like irradiance, dye concentration, and initiator impact, emphasizing oxygen inhibition's significant role in near-field photopolymerization. image