Self-organization and photo-induced formation of cyanine dye aggregates on the plasmonic Ag nanoparticles

The optical properties of hybrid film based on plasmon Ag nanoparticles of different size and cyanine dyes with different length of conjugation chain depending on the relative position of the plasmon resonance and the absorption of organic molecules were studied. The absorption spectra of the films revealed several molecular forms, such as all-trans- and cisisomers, dimers and J-aggregate, which also exist in pure organic films without Ag nanoparticles. It’s shown that the absorption of aggregate bands increased after exposure by nanosecond laser on the hybrid films due to photo-induced additional self-organization of aggregates. In the presence of Ag nanoparticles, laser radiation leads to the change of molecular forms at a comparatively low threshold.