Optically tunable surfaces with trapped particles in microcavities

We introduce optically tunable surfaces based upon metallic gold nanoparticles trapped in open, water-filled gold cavities. The optical properties of the surfaces change dramatically with the presence and location of the particles inside the cavities. The precise position of the particles is shown to be controllable through optical forces exerted by external illumination, thus leading to all-optical tunability, whereby the optical response of the surfaces is tuned through externally applied light. We discuss the performance of the cavity-particle complex in detail and provide theoretical support for its application as a novel concept of large-scale optically tunable system.