Nanostructure having metal nanoparticles and a method of assembly thereof

Abstract

A nanostructure and method for assembly thereof are disclosed. The nanostructure includes a gain medium nanoparticle; an output coupler nanoparticle being discrete from and linked to the gain medium nanoparticle; and a plurality of metal nanoparticles being linked about the gain medium nanoparticle, wherein the gain medium nanoparticle and the output coupler nanoparticle are included in the nanostructure in a one to one ratio.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for assembling a nanostructure, comprising:
 attaching a first linker to a gain medium nanoparticle;   attaching the first linker to a substrate larger than the gain medium nanoparticle;   attaching a plurality of second linkers to the gain medium nanoparticle;   detaching the first linker connected to the gain medium nanoparticle from, the substrate;   attaching a plurality of third linkers to an output coupler nanoparticle;   attaching the first linker to one of the plurality of third linkers, such that the output coupler nanoparticle is discrete from and linked to the gain medium nanoparticle;   attaching a plurality of fourth linkers to a plurality of metal nanoparticles; and   attaching each of the plurality of second linkers to each of the plurality of fourth linkers,
 wherein the gain medium nanoparticle and the output coupler nanoparticle are included in the nanostructure in a one to one ratio. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first linkers are amino-silane ligands. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the second linkers are silyl-carboxylic acid ligands. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the third linkers are carboxylic acid-thiol ligands. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fourth linkers are FMOC-protected amino-thiol ligands. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the output coupler nanoparticle has a size ranging from about 10 nanometers to about 350 nanometers. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the output coupler nanoparticle and the gain medium nanoparticle are linked together at a connection point. 
     
     
         8 . A nanostructure consisting of:
 one gain medium nanoparticle;   a first linker attached to the gain medium nanoparticle;   a plurality of second linkers attached to the gain medium nanoparticle;   one output coupler nanoparticle;   a plurality of third linkers attached to the output coupler nanoparticle;   a plurality of metal nanoparticles; and   a plurality of fourth linkers, each of the plurality of fourth linkers being attached to one of the plurality of metal nanoparticles,   wherein the first linker attaches to one of the third linkers at a connection point such that the output coupler nanoparticle is linked to the gain medium nanoparticle,   wherein each of the second linkers such that the plurality of metal nanoparticles are linked about the gain medium nanoparticle, and wherein the nanostructure is optionally attached to a substrate.