Arrays of metallic micro-/nano-structures by means of colloidal lithography and laser dewetting

Abstract

Long-range arrays of prismatoid metal nanostructures are fabricated by a hybrid methodology, i.e. using Langmuir microsphere films and laser-assisted dewetting. As the initial step, we use colloidal lithography. Monolayers of 1–5μm polystyrene microspheres covered with a thermally evaporated Ag or Au thin film of controlled thickness (5–50nm) are then used as masks to pattern the surface of quartz, BK7 glass or silicon substrates, typically in the order of cm2. When removing the spheres by physico-chemical means (ultrasound bath and solvent wash), the resulting surface shows an array of nm-size prismatoid structures (Fischer patterns), that can be further processed by laser. Thus, by using two different lasers (355-nm wavelength, 50-ps duration and 193-nm wavelength, 15-ns duration) for the metal dewetting, we control the shape of the deposited nanostructures. A detailed study is presented here on the reshaping of such metal structures through laser annealing. This new hybrid methodology expands the panel of microsphere-assisted technologies employed in preparing surface nanomaterials.