Laser-Activated Self-Assembled Thermoplasmonic Nanocavity Substrates for Intracellular Delivery

Intracellular delivery is crucial for cellular engineering and the development of therapeutics. Laser-activated thermoplasmonic nanostructured surfaces are a promising platform for high-efficiency, high-viability, high-throughput intracellular delivery. Their fabrication, however, typically involves complicated nanofabrication techniques, limiting the approach's applicability. Here, colloidal self-assembly and templating are used to fabricate large arrays of thermoplasmonic nanocavities simply and cost-effectively. These laser-activated substrates are used to deliver membrane-impermeable dye into cells at an efficiency of 78% and throughput of 30 000 cells min(-1) while maintaining 87% cell viability. Proof-of-concept data show delivery of large cargoes ranging from 0.6 to 2000 kDa to cells without compromising viability.