Colloidal crystal microarrays and two-dimensional superstructures: A versatile approach for patterned surface assembly

Raymond E. Schaak, Robert E. Cable, Brian M. Leonard, Brent C. Norris

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

48 Scopus citations

Abstract

A simple, fast, and robust approach to colloidal assembly on patterned surfaces was developed. The approach involves the rapid settling and dewetting of suspensions of spherical colloids on lithographically templated surfaces. Using this method, we can quickly and easily fabricate close-packed colloidal crystal microarrays of both silica and polystyrene spheres that range in size from 500 nm to 4.5 μm. The microarrays tend to induce the formation of monolayer colloidal crystals, which can be interconnected and removed from the templates as free-standing colloidal crystal slabs. The same approach can also be used to assemble two-dimensional colloidal crystal superlattices that can adopt a variety of structures. Graphite, kagome, body-centered cubic, open hexagonal, tetragonal, and linear chain structures can all be quickly accessed by adjusting the ratio of the sphere diameter to the template diameter.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)7293-7297
Number of pages5
JournalLangmuir
Volume20
Issue number17
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 17 2004

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Spectroscopy
  • General Materials Science
  • Surfaces and Interfaces
  • Electrochemistry

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