Large Area Substrate-Based Nanofabrication of Controllable and Customizable Gold Nanoparticles Via Capped Dewetting

Summary

This protocol details a novel nano-manufacturing technique that can be used to make controllable and customizable nanoparticle films over large areas based on the self-assembly of dewetting of capped metal films.

Abstract

Recent scientific advances in the utilization of metallic nanoparticle for enhanced energy conversion efficiency, improved optical device performance, and high-density data storage have demonstrated the potential benefit of their use in industrial applications. These applications require precise control over nanoparticle size, spacing, and sometimes shape. These requirements have resulted in the use of time and cost intensive processing steps to produce nanoparticles, thus making the transition to industrial application unrealistic. This protocol will resolve this issue by providing a scalable and affordable method for the large-area production of nanoparticle films with improved nanoparticle control compared to the current techniques. In this article, the process will be demonstrated with gold, but other metals can also be used.

Introduction

Large-area nanoparticle film fabrication is critically important for the adoption of recent technological advances in solar energy conversion and high-density data storage with the use of plasmonic nanoparticles^1,2,3,4,5. Interestingly, it is the magnetic properties of some of these plasmonic nanoparticles, which provide these nanoparticles with the ability to manipulate and control light at the nanoscale. This controllability of light provides the possibility to enhance light entrapment of the incident lig....

Protocol

NOTE: The large-area fabrication of controllable and customizable gold nanoparticle films is achieved by following the detailed protocol. The protocol follows three major areas that are (1) substrate preparation, (2) dewetting and etching, and (3) characterization.

1. Substrate Preparation

1. Clean the substrate (100 nm SiO₂ on Si) using an acetone rinse followed by an isopropyl alcohol rinse and then dry using a stream of N₂ gas.
2. Load the substrate int.......

Discussion

The protocol is a feasible and easy process for a nano-manufacturing process for producing nanoparticles on a substrate over large areas with controllable characteristics. The dewetting phenomenon, which leads to the production of particles, is based on the tendency of the dewetted layer to achieve minimum surface energy. The control over the size and shape of the particles is targeted with the deposition of a second surface on the main layer to tune the surface energies, and the final equilibrium between the adhesion an.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
100 nm SiO2/Si Substrate	University Wafer	Thermal Oxide Wafer
Alumina Sputter Target (99.5%)	Kurt J. Lesker	Alumina Target
Gold Wire (99.99%)	Kurt J. Lesker	Gold Wire
H2O2	Sigma-Aldrich
Hot Plate	Thermo Scientific	Cimarec
NH4OH	Sigma-Aldrich
Scanning Electron Microscope	FEI	Quanta 650
Scanning Electron Microscope	FEI	Nova Nanolab 600
Sputter Deposition System	AJA International	Orion-5
Thermal Evaporator	Edwards	360