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Based on the scanning of photothermal optical coherence tomography (PT-OCT), the photothermal behavior of a flowing medium generated by the enhanced absorption of localized surface plasmon resonance of incorporated Au nanorings (NRIs) is observed. In particular, the effects of air bubble generation and thermally induced bubble size oscillation in a flowing medium through the incorporation of Au NRIs and modulated laser illumination are demonstrated. The size oscillation of the air bubble produces the vibration of the flowing medium, which is synchronized with the laser modulation, for generating PT-OCT signal. At the resonance frequency of flowing-medium vibration, the PT-OCT signal reaches the maximum level. The resonance frequency is related to the mass density and viscosity of the flowing medium and is independent of the flow speed of the medium in a vessel. Such a relation can be used for in situ monitoring the mass density and viscosity of a flowing medium.

The reduction of average extinction cross section of a localized surface plasmon (LSP) resonance mode under the random orientation condition of Au nanoring (NRI) distribution is first numerically demonstrated. The reduction range depends on the geometry symmetry property of the electron oscillation axis in the LSP resonance mode. Then, by increasing the ring height, an optimized Au NRI geometry is designed to make the resonance wavelengths of its cross-ring dipole mode and axial dipole mode the same. In such an Au NRI, a few higher-order axial LSP modes are discovered. Also, under the condition of random orientation distribution, the ranges of extinction, scattering, and absorption cross section reductions from the corresponding maximum levels of optimized excitations are significantly decreased, when compared with the counterparts of the Au NRIs of a smaller ring height.

Au nanoring solutions of ∼1300 nm in localized surface plasmon resonance wavelength are fabricated and characterized. Their functions of image contrast enhancement in optical coherence tomography (OCT) and photothermal effect are demonstrated. Also, they are delivered into mouse liver for tracking their diffusion in the sample through continuous OCT scanning.

Image contrast enhancement of optical coherence tomography is demonstrated by diffusing Au nanorods into pig adipose for generating localized surface plasmon (LSP) resonance, which is confirmed by comparing with the case of no LSP excitation.

The conventional optical coherence tomography (OCT) images based on enhanced scattering and the photothermal (PT) images based on enhanced absorption of the localized surface plasmon (LSP) resonance of Au nanorings (NRIs) in a bio-tissue sample are demonstrated with the scans of an OCT system (1310-nm system), in which the spectral range covers the LSP resonance peak wavelength, and another OCT system (1060-nm system), in which the spectral range is away from the LSP resonance peak wavelength. A PT image is formed by evaluating the modulation frequency (400 Hz) response of an excitation laser with its wavelength (1308 nm) close to the LSP resonance peak at 1305 nm of the Au NRI solution. With the scan of the 1310-nm OCT system, the Au NRI distribution in the bio-tissue sample can be observed in both conventional OCT and PT images. However, with the scan of the 1060-nm OCT system, the Au NRI distribution can be clearly observed only in the PT image. The diffusion process of Au NRIs in the bio-tissue sample can be traced with the scan of either OCT system. Based on phantom experiments, it is shown that the PT image can help in resolving the ambiguity of a conventional OCT image between the enhanced scattering of Au NRIs and the strong scattering of a tissue structure in the 1310-nm OCT scanning. Also, under the condition of weak intrinsic sample scattering, particularly in the scan of the 1060-nm system, the PT signal can be lower than a saturating level, which is determined by the excitation power. By increasing OCT system signal-to-noise ratio or M-mode scan time, the PT signal level can be enhanced.

Preparation of a high-concentration Au nanoring (NR) water solution and its applications to the enhancement of image contrast in optical coherence tomography (OCT) and the generation of the photothermal effect in a bio-sample through localized surface plasmon (LSP) resonance are demonstrated. Au NRs are first fabricated on a sapphire substrate with colloidal lithography and secondary sputtering of Au, and then transferred into a water solution through a liftoff process. By controlling the NR geometry, the LSP dipole resonance wavelength in tissue can cover a spectral range of 1300 nm for OCT scanning of deep tissue penetration. The extinction cross sections of the fabricated Au NRs in water are estimated to give levels of 10(-10)-10(-9) cm(2) near their LSP resonance wavelengths. The fabricated Au NRs are then delivered into pig adipose samples for OCT scanning. It is observed that, when resonant Au NRs are delivered into such a sample, LSP resonance-induced Au NR absorption results in a photothermal effect, making the opaque pig adipose cells transparent. Also, the delivered Au NRs in the intercellular substance enhance the image contrast of OCT scanning through LSP resonance-enhanced scattering. By continuously OCT scanning a sample, both photothermal and image contrast enhancement effects are observed. However, by continually scanning a sample with a low scan frequency, only the image contrast enhancement effect is observed.