Plasmonic amplification of photoacoustic waves detected using piezotransistive GaN microcantilevers

Strong enhancement in a photoacoustic signal due to plasmonic absorption in Au nanostructures was measured using piezotransistive GaN microcantilevers. A pulsed 790 nm laser focused on the Au metallization of the piezotransistor resulted in a much larger photoacoustic signal compared to the non-metallized areas. Upon deposition of a 5 nm Au layer, the photoacoustic signal increased significantly for both previously metallized and non-metallized areas, while 2 nm Ni deposition decreased the photoacoustic signal, confirming the role of Au nanostructures in facilitating plasmonic absorption. Infrared microscopy images covering the boundary of Au metallized and non-metallized surfaces indicated a much larger rise in temperature of the former region with laser exposure, explaining the generation of photoacoustic signals through plasmonic absorption.