Simulation of nanosecond laser-induced thermal dynamics of hollow gold nanoshells for hyperthermia therapy

Abstract

In this report, we investigate numerically the thermodynamics of hollow gold nanoshell (AuNS) irritated by near-infrared (NIR) light. Simulations are performed for the AuNS in aqueous medium. The nanostructure is illuminated by a nanosecond pulsed laser at plasmonic resonance. The spatiotemporal evolution of the temperature profile inside and outside the AuNS is computed using a numerical framework based on the finite element method (FEM). In particular, we show how the temperature varies with the laser fluence and pulse duration. The aim of this study is to provide a description of the physics of heat release of AuNSs and useful insights for the development of these nanostructures for biomedical applications such as drug delivery, photothermal cancer therapy and optoporation of cells.