Nanostripe length dependence of plasmon-induced material deformations

Following the impact of a single femtosecond light pulse on nickel nanostripes, material deformations—or “nanobumps”—are created. We have studied the dependence of these nanobumps on the length of nanostripes and verified the link with plasmons. More specifically, local electric currents can melt the nanostructures in the hotspots, where hydrodynamic processes give rise to nanobumps. This process is further confirmed by independently simulating local magnetic fields, since these are produced by the same local electric currents.