Acoustic vibrations (breathing modes) of metallic and semiconductor nanostructures are frequently seen in ultrafast experiments. For measurements on single structures the lifetimes of these modes provide invaluable information about the dissipation of energy into the environment. However, accurate lifetime measurements are challenging in conventional ultrafast experiments that rely on a mechanical delay-line, because of the long time scales of the decays. In this work, we use Asynchronous Optical Sampling (ASOPS), an ultrafast technique that employs two lasers with adjustable repetition rates that does not require a delay line, to study energy dissipation in gold nanostructures. Experiments are performed on suspended nanoplates, and nanoplates separated from the substrate with different thickness polymer layers. The results are compared to simple continuum mechanics calculations. By conducting experiments with varying thicknesses spacers layers, the degree to which the calculations correspond to experimental values, and whether the spacer layer improves the quality factor of the vibrations can be determined.

Ultrafast studies of single gold nanostructures

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