Selective gold nanoparticles formation by pulsed laser interference

► Exposure of discontinuous gold films to laser interference produces 2D and 1D patterns of round nanoparticles surrounded by non-transformed areas. ► The optical response of the patterns is dominated by the surface plasmon resonance of the gold nanoparticles. ► The accumulation of metal at some areas of the pattern is consistent with mass transport towards the lower temperature regions. ► The size of the nanoparticles depends on the initial effective thickness; the thicker the films the bigger the nanoparticles. ► Multiple laser exposures produce in alternating areas with different nanoparticle dimensions.