Hybrid Plasmonic Platform for Directing and Controlling Nanostructure Growth

Low-Heat, Bottom-Up Approach Can Produce Metal, Polymer or Bio-Molecule Structures for Catalysis, Biosensors, Electronic Devices and More

This surface plasmon mediated chemical solution deposition method uses surface plasmon resonance to deposit nanoparticles in the liquid phase at room temperature to direct and control nanostructure growth. Plasmonic materials are highly efficient at absorbing and scattering light. Plasmonic nanomaterials are capable of converting low power light into heat due to these optical properties called surface plasmon resonance. Chemical vapor depositions, traditionally used with metal nanoparticles, are limited by the thermal stability of the production process. Researchers at the University of Florida have developed a method for producing nanostructures using surface plasmon mediated chemical solution deposition that directs and controls nanostructure growth at room temperature, which broadens the types of precursors available for use. This “bottom-up” process, creating structures from molecular or atomic components, is capable of producing structures of metal, polymer, or bio-molecule nanoparticles. The method can be used in catalysis, chemical, and biological sensing, and nanofabrication for the next generation of electronic devices.

Application

Surface plasmon mediated chemical solution deposition method room temperature fabrication of nanostructures

Advantages

• Produces nanostructures at mild conditions, increasing variety of precursors that can be used
• Completed quickly, irradiating is completed in about 2 to 5 minutes
• Is done in solution, requiring no vapor pressure for production
• Employs a “bottom-up” approach, allowing the construction of nanomaterials from molecular or atomic components

Technology

The surface plasmon mediated chemical solution deposition operates using a plasmonic substrate and introducing a precursor material. The plasmonic substrate converts low power light energy into photothermal energy that generates local heating on its surface creating nanoparticles made of the precursor material. This surface plasmon mediated chemical solution deposition method operates through a “bottom-up” approach rather than the “top-down” approach common in available technologies. These nanoparticles can cover up to 100 percent of the substrate and vary in size from 1 to 100 nanometers depending on the material. The nanoparticles then form a nanoparticle film on the substrate surface. This process can create patterns because only precursor material exposed to light will remain on the substrate.