Optical Write-Erase Chemical Memory State in Plasmonic Nanoarrays

Plasmonic nanoarrays coated with a thermoresponsive self-assembled monolayer (SAM) function as an optically controlled chemical memory. Pulsed laser illumination is used to write information by inducing a collapsed state in the SAM at the interface. This collapsed state alters the plasmonic properties of the nanoarray, enabling optical detection of the stored data. The device allows for both writing and erasing of information through controlled light exposure and thermal relaxation.