Wedging Transfer of Nanostructures

We report a versatile water-based method for transferring nanostructures onto surfaces of various shapes and compositions. The transfer occurs through the intercalation of a layer of water between a hydrophilic substrate and a hydrophobic nanostructure (for example, graphene flakes, carbon nanotubes...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nano letters 2010-05, Vol.10 (5), p.1912-1916
Main Authors: Schneider, Grégory F, Calado, Victor E, Zandbergen, Henny, Vandersypen, Lieven M. K, Dekker, Cees
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties
Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science
rheology
Crystallization - methods
Exact sciences and technology
Fullerenes and related materials
diamonds, graphite
Low-dimensional structures (superlattices, quantum well structures, multilayers): structure, and nonelectronic properties
Macromolecular Substances - chemistry
Materials science
Materials Testing
Molecular Conformation
Nanocrystalline materials
Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization
Nanostructures - chemistry
Nanostructures - ultrastructure
Nanotechnology - methods
Nanotubes
Particle Size
Physics
Specific materials
Surface Properties
Surfaces and interfaces
thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties)
Water - chemistry
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Summary:We report a versatile water-based method for transferring nanostructures onto surfaces of various shapes and compositions. The transfer occurs through the intercalation of a layer of water between a hydrophilic substrate and a hydrophobic nanostructure (for example, graphene flakes, carbon nanotubes, metallic nanostructures, quantum dots, etc.) locked within a hydrophobic polymer thin film. As a result, the film entrapping the nanostructure is lifted off and floats at the air−water interface. The nanostructure can subsequently be deposited onto a target substrate by the removal of the water and the dissolution of the polymeric film. We show examples where graphene flakes and patterned metallic nanostructures are precisely transferred onto a specific location on a variety of patterned substrates, even on top of curved objects such as microspheres. The method is simple to use, fast, and does not require advanced equipment.
ISSN:1530-6984
1530-6992
DOI:10.1021/nl1008037