Femtosecond laser induced photochemical reaction and configuration change of silver nanorod clusters in aqueous solution

The photochemical reaction processes and configuration change of the silver nanorod clusters in aqueous medium exposed by an 800-nm femtosecond laser and a 532-nm nanosecond laser were studied by surface plasma absorption spectra and transmission electron microscopy. The results indicate that the clusters were quickly fragmented into small nanospheres through the ejection of electrons. Then, the size of the nanospheres decreased gradually due to a series of photochemistry reactions in the surface of Ag nanospheres. Femtosecond laser has better ability to change the size and shape of the material than nanosecond laser.