COLLOIDAL MOBILITY IN THE DYNAMIC ORDERING OF NANOSTRUCTURES

Abstract

The fabrication of ordered nanostructures plays an important role in the realization of the potential of nanotechnology and novel applications. One promising method of fabrication is the self assembly process of colloidal particles into ordered structures. In this report, we establish the role and importance of particle mobility in the ordering process. We could alter the mobility of each sphere directly by varying the ionic strength and thus interaction forces. Alternative approaches include changing the volume fraction of the colloidal suspension and evaporation temperature. By combining and optimizing these experimental parameters, the mechanism of self assembly is elucidated and well ordered single- and multi-component nanostructures were fabricated. A clear understanding of colloidal mobility to fabricate defect-free and intricate lattice symmetries may be the crucial link for the development of reliable self-assembled technological devices.