Enhanced Photochromism of Diarylethene Induced by Excitation of Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance on Regular Arrays of Gold Nanoparticles

Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) excitation on the photochromic reaction of a diarylethene derivative (DE) was studied by surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). UV and visible light irradiations transform reversibly DE between open‐form (OF) and closed‐form (CF) isomers, respectively. A mixture of PMMA and DE (either OF or CF isomer) was spin‐coated onto gold nanorods (GNRs) arrays, designed by electron beam lithography, with two localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPR) at distinct wavelengths, due to their anisotropy. The photochromic reaction rates from CF to OF isomers, under LSPR excitation, were monitored from SERS spectral changes under different polarizations, on the same GNR substrate to compare the effect of LSPR field strength. It appears that the photoisomerization rate was faster when LSPR was excited with the polarization parallel to the GNR long axis. The present results highlight a potential genuine mechanism, from near field LSPR excitation, involved in the photochromic enhancement of diarylethene photochromes. Shining gold: Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) excitation on the photochromic reaction of a diarylethene derivative (DE) was studied by surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) on gold nanorods (GNRs) made by electron beam lithography, displaying two distinct LSPR wavelengths. It is shown that the photoisomerization rate was faster when LSPR was excited with a polarization parallel to the GNR long axis. The present results highlight a potential genuine mechanism, from near field LSPR excitation, involved in the photochromic enhancement of diarylethene photochromes.