Growth of Highly-Ordered Metal Nanoparticle Arrays in the Dimpled Pores of an Anodic Aluminum Oxide Template

A reliable, scalable, and inexpensive technology for the fabrication of ordered arrays of metal nanoparticles with large areal coverage on various substrates is presented. The nanoparticle arrays were formed on aluminum substrates using a two-step anodization process. By varying the anodization potential, the pore diameter, inter-pore spacing, and pore ordering in the anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template were tuned. Following a chemical etch, the height of the pores in the AAO membrane were reduced to create a dimpled membrane surface. Periodic arrays of metal nanoparticles were subsequently created by evaporating metal on to the dimpled surface, allowing for individual nanoparticles to form within the dimples by a solid state de-wetting process induced by annealing. The ordered nanoparticle array could then be transferred to a substrate of choice using a polymer lift-off method. Following optimization of the experimental parameters, it was possible to obtain cm2 coverage of metal nanoparticles, like gold and indium, on silicon, quartz and sapphire substrates, with average sizes in the range of 50-90 nm. The de-wetting process was investigated for a specific geometry of the dimpled surface and the results explained for two different film thicknesses. Using a simple model, the experimental results were interpreted and supported by numerical estimations.

Structure and Electronic Properties of InSb Nanowires Grown in Flexible Polycarbonate Membranes

A dense array of vertically aligned indium antimonide (InSb) nanowires with high aspect ratio (diameter 150 nm, length 20 μ m) were grown in the pores of a track-etched polycarbonate membrane via a one-step electrochemical method. There are several reports on InSb nanowire growth in the pores of a mechanically rigid, nano-channel alumina template (NCA), where nanowire growth occurs in the pores of the NCA. This work on InSb nanowire growth in pores of track-etched polycarbonate (PC) membrane sheds light on the various factors that affect nucleation and nanowire growth. The average length and diameter of the as-grown nanowires was about 10 μ m and 150 nm, respectively. Two possible mechanisms accounting for two different morphologies of the as-grown nanowires are proposed. The polycrystallinity observed in some of the nanowires is explained using the 3D 'nucleation-coalescence' mechanism. On the other hand, single crystal nanowires with a high density of twin defects and stacking faults grow epitaxially by a two-dimensional (2D) nucleation/growth mechanism. To assess the electrical quality of the nanowires, two- and four-terminal devices were fabricated using a single InSb nanowire contacted by two Ni electrodes. It was found that, at low bias, the ohmic current is controlled by charge diffusion from the bulk contacts. On the other hand, at high bias, the effects of space charge limited current (SCLC) are evident in the current-voltage behavior, characteristic of transport through structures with reduced electrostatic screening. A cross-over from ohmic to SCLC occurs at about 0.14 V, yielding a free carrier concentration of the order of 10 14 cm - 3 .

Simultaneous direct holographic fabrication of photonic cavity and graded photonic lattice with dual periodicity, dual basis, and dual symmetry

For the first time, to the authors' best knowledge, this paper demonstrates the digital, holographic fabrication of graded, super-basis photonic lattices with dual periodicity, dual basis, and dual symmetry. Pixel-by-pixel phase engineering of the laser beam generates the highest resolution in a programmable spatial light modulator (SLM) for the direct imaging of graded photonic super-lattices. This technique grants flexibility in designing 2-D lattices with size-graded features, differing periodicities, and differing symmetries, as well as lattices having simultaneously two periodicities and two symmetries in high resolutions. By tuning the diffraction efficiency ratio from the SLM, photonic cavities can also be generated in the graded super-lattice simultaneously through a one-exposure process. A high quality factor of over 1.56 × 10⁶ for a cavity mode in the graded photonic lattice with a large super-cell is predicted by simulations.

Holographic fabrication of 3D photonic crystals through interference of multi-beams with 4 + 1, 5 + 1 and 6 + 1 configurations

In this paper, we are able to fabricate 3D photonic crystals or quasi-crystals through single beam and single optical element based holographic lithography. The reflective optical elements are used to generate multiple side beams with s-polarization and one central beam with circular polarization which in turn are used for interference based holographic lithography without the need of any other bulk optics. These optical elements have been used to fabricate 3D photonic crystals with 4, 5 or 6-fold symmetry. A good agreement has been observed between fabricated holographic structures and simulated interference patterns.

Digitally tunable holographic lithography using a spatial light modulator as a programmable phase mask

In this paper, we study tunable holographic lithography using an electrically addressable spatial light modulator as a programmable phase mask. We control the phases of interfering beams diffracted from the phase pattern displayed in the spatial light modulator. We present a calculation method for the assignment of phases in the laser beams and validate the phases of the interfering beams in phase-sensitive, dual-lattice, and two-dimensional patterns formed by a rotationally non-symmetrical configuration. A good agreement has been observed between fabricated holographic structures and simulated interference patterns. The presented method can potentially help design a gradient phase mask for the fabrication of graded photonic crystals or metamaterials.

Stoichiometry dependent electron transport and gas sensing properties of indium oxide nanowires

The effect of stoichiometry of single crystalline In2O3 nanowires on electrical transport and gas sensing was investigated. The nanowires were synthesized by vapor phase transport and had diameters ranging from 80 to 100 nm and lengths between 10 and 20 μm, with a growth direction of [001]. Transport measurements revealed n-type conduction, attributed to the presence of oxygen vacancies in the crystal lattice. As-grown In2O3 nanowires were shown to have a carrier concentration of ≈5 × 10(17) cm(-3), while nanowires that were annealed in wet O2 showed a reduced carrier concentration of less than 10(16) cm(-3). Temperature dependent conductivity measurements on the as-grown nanowires and analysis of the thermally activated Arrhenius conduction for the temperature range of 77-350 K yielded an activation energy of 0.12 eV. This is explained on the basis of carrier exchange that occurs between the surface states and the bulk of the nanowire, resulting in a depleted surface layer of thickness of the order of the Debye length (LD), estimated to be about 3-4 nm for the as-grown nanowires and about 10 times higher for the more stoichiometric nanowires. Significant changes in the electrical conductance of individual In2O3 nanowires were also observed within several seconds of exposure to NH3 and O2 gas molecules at room temperature, thus demonstrating the potential use of In2O3 nanowires as efficient miniaturized chemical sensors. The sensing mechanism is dominated by the nanowire channel conductance, and a simple energy band diagram is used to explain the change in conductivity when gas molecules adsorbed on the nanowire surface influence its electrical properties. Less stoichiometric nanowires were found to be more sensitive to oxidizing gases while more stoichiometric nanowires showed significantly enhanced response to reducing gases.

Defect studies of ZnSe nanowires

During the synthesis of ZnSe nanowires various point and extended defects can form, leading to observed stacking faults and twinning defects, and strong defect related emission in photoluminescence spectra. In this paper, we report on the development of a simple thermodynamic model for estimating the defect concentration in ZnSe nanowires grown under varying Se vapour pressure and for explaining the results of our experimental findings. Positron annihilation spectroscopy was used successfully for the first time for nanowires and the results support predictions from the defect model as well as agreeing well with our structural and optical characterization results. Under very high Se vapour pressure, Se nodules were observed to form on the sidewalls of the nanowire, indicating that beyond a limit, excess Se will begin to precipitate out of the liquid alloy droplet in the vapour-liquid-solid growth of nanowires.