Functional nanoparticle arrays produced by dewetting of thin metallic films

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Peter Schaaf
• Subject Area: Synthesis and Properties of Functional Materials
• Term: from 2013 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 241966571

The exact geometric arrangement of monodisperse nanoparticles over large areas has an enormous potential for applications in technical areas like in energy technology, metamaterials, plasmonics, sensorics, DNA detection, and catalysis for ordered nanowire and nanotube growth. Dewetting of thin films as a self-organized simple process is very interesting for the preparation of ordered nanoparticle arrays on a large scale. Deficiencies in the understanding of the dewetting process especially for thin multilayers will be solved in this project. A major point is the detailed nanostructuring of the substrates, allowing the separation and the design of the processes. Strategies will be worked out leading to the ability of a perfect two-dimensional ordering of monodisperse nanoparticle arrays. With that the interactions in the 2D nanoparticle arrays will be studied and it will be investigated how functionalities can be achieved reaching far beyond that of single nanoparticles. In addition, as a new approach, also the dewetting of bi- and multilayer films is investigated. Completely new effects and deviations from thermodynamic equilibrium are expected. The formation of nanoalloys and the nanoseparation effects after dewetting of bi-layers is investigated. Their properties and their potential for new applications are investigated.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Privatdozent Dr.-Ing. Dong Wang