Gold Nanoparticle Thin Films Research Articles

Black-wax assisted lift-off and transfer of CVD grown graphene from copper foil substrates to various foreign substrates

The authors have lifted-off and transferred graphene nanosheets, which were grown by chemical vapor deposition on copper foil substrates, to flat, nanostructured, and microscale-patterned substrates. Black-wax, instead of the conventional polymethyl methacrylate, was used as the protective layer in the lift-off and transfer process. Quartz wafers, with and without coating of gold nanoparticle thin films, and surface grooved Si wafers were used as the target substrates. Structural, electrical, and optical characterizations revealed that the lift-off and transfer process, protected by the black-wax, is repeatable, even for graphene stacking, and the transferred graphene nanosheets are uniform and free of damage on flat substrates. Their electrical and optical properties are greatly affected by the target substrates; on quartz coated with gold nanoparticle thin film, coupling between graphene and the plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles has been observed. The authors also demonstrated that the transferred graphene nanosheets can apparently tune the spectral polarization properties of surface grooved Si.

Spatial organization and optical properties of layer-by-layer assembled upconversion and gold nanoparticles in thin films

The layer-by-layer (LBL) method was utilized to prepare multilayers comprising of NaYF4:Yb,Tm@NaYF4 upconversion and gold nanoparticles with different spatial organizations and optical properties.

Forming dense arrays of gold nanoparticles in thin films of yttria stabilized zirconia by magnetron sputtering

Layers of Au nanoparticles (NPs) were formed in films of yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) on fusedquartz substrates by layer-by-layer magnetron deposition with subsequent annealing. The obtained structures were studied by applying high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to transverse sections and using optical absorption spectroscopy. TEM studies revealed the formation of Au NPs with a diameter of 2?3 nm concentrated in a thin layer within the YSZ film. The optical absorption spectra of the studied samples exhibited peaks of resonance plasmon absorption in Au NPs with a maximum wavelength of ~650 nm. The dependences of geometric and structural parameters of Au NP arrays (size, density, thickness of the Au NP layer, etc.) on the formation conditions were determined, and the regimes of fabrication of dense Au NP arrays that allow for collective plasmon excitations were identified.

Nanoparticle-Structured Highly Sensitive and Anisotropic Gauge Sensors.

The ability to tune gauge factors in terms of magnitude and orientation is important for wearable and conformal electronics. Herein, a sensor device is described which is fabricated by assembling and printing molecularly linked thin films of gold nanoparticles on flexible microelectrodes with unusually high and anisotropic gauge factors. A sharp difference in gauge factors up to two to three orders of magnitude between bending perpendicular (B(⊥)) and parallel (B(||)) to the current flow directions is observed. The origin of the unusual high and anisotropic gauge factors is analyzed in terms of nanoparticle size, interparticle spacing, interparticle structure, and other parameters, and by considering the theoretical aspects of electron conduction mechanism and percolation pathway. A critical range of resistivity where a very small change in strain and the strain orientation is identified to impact the percolation pathway in a significant way, leading to the high and anisotropic gauge factors. The gauge anisotropy stems from molecular and nanoscale fine tuning of interparticle properties of molecularly linked nanoparticle assembly on flexible microelectrodes, which has important implication for the design of gauge sensors for highly sensitive detection of deformation in complex sensing environment or on complex curved surfaces such as wearable electronics and skin sensors.

A study of the underpotential deposition of copper on cetyltrimethylammonium halides covering gold nanoparticle thin films

This study presents a novel method for the synthesis of self-assembled cationic surfactants covering gold nanoparticle thin films and determines the underpotential deposition behavior of copper on such films. Based upon the solid–liquid interface penetration of copper ions through a self-assembled molecular layer, the variations in oxidation–reduction potential and the amount of copper ion desorption are determined, using cyclic voltammetry and linear sweep voltammetry analysis. The influence of various capping agents, cetyltrimethylammonium fluoride (CTAF), cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC), and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), on gold substrates is also determined. The blocking capabilities of surfactants that hinder ion penetration from the solution to the Au surface, through bilayers, are in the order: CTAB ≥ CTAC > CTAF.

A bioinspired, reusable, paper-based system for high-performance large-scale evaporation.

A bioinspired, reusable, paper-based gold-nanoparticle film is fabricated by depositing an as-prepared gold-nanoparticle thin film on airlaid paper. This paper-based system with enhanced surface roughness and low thermal conductivity exhibits increased efficiency of evaporation, scale-up potential, and proven reusability. It is also demonstrated to be potentially useful in seawater desalination.

Wavelength specific excitation of gold nanoparticle thin-films

Advances in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) continue to empower researchers with the ability to sense and actuate at the micro scale. Thermally driven MEMS components are often used for their rapid response and ability to apply relatively high forces. However, thermally driven MEMS often have high power consumption and require physical wiring to the device. This work demonstrates a basis for designing light-powered MEMS with a wavelength specific response. This is accomplished by patterning surface regions with a thin film containing gold nanoparticles that are tuned to have an absorption peak at a particular wavelength. The heating behavior of these patterned surfaces is selected by the wavelength of laser directed at the sample. This method also eliminates the need for wires to power a device. The results demonstrate that gold nanoparticle films are effective wavelength-selective absorbers. This “hybrid” of infrared absorbent gold nanoparticles and MEMS fabrication technology has potential applications in light-actuated switches and other mechanical structures that must bend at specific regions. Deposition methods and surface chemistry will be integrated with three-dimensional MEMS structures in the next phase of this work. The long-term goal of this project is a system of light-powered microactuators for exploring cellular responses to mechanical stimuli, increasing our fundamental understanding of tissue response to everyday mechanical stresses at the molecular level.

Determination of DNA Hybridization on Gold Nanoparticle Conjugated Polystyrene Particle Thin Film Using Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to detect DNA hybridization on a polystyrene conjugated gold nanoparticle thin film. The gold nanoparticles were synthesized on the surface of poly(ethylenimine) coated polystyrene particles by citrate reduction. Single-stranded DNA was then immobilized on the nanoparticle surface via thiol bonding. Ultraviolet-visible spectrometry was used to monitor the conjugation of the nanoparticles on polystyrene particles and the immobilization of a single-stranded DNA probe. The morphology of the polystyrene-gold nanoparticle thin film was characterized using scanning electron microscopy and showed successful conjugation and immobilization. The infrared spectra obtained from the hybridization showed features of DNA structure and peak shifts at 1657 cm−1 compared to the non-complementary DNA due to changes in hydrogen bonding between N-H and C˭O of complimentary bases pairs. The peaks at 1067, 975, 920, and 859 cm−1, which were shifted to lower wavenumbers in the polystyrene-gold nanoparticle probe and target DNA, indicated hydrogen bonding formation between N-H and N of complimentary base pairs. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy provided simple, fast, and portable label-free detection of target DNA sequence on the polystyrene-gold nanoparticle thin film.

The effect of size and shape of gold nanoparticles on thin film properties

This work describes the properties of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) thin film on silicon (Si) substrates. The AuNPs can be divided into two major shapes: gold nanospheres (AuNSs) and gold nanorods (AuNRs). Two sizes of AuNSs (15 nm and 30 nm) and three aspect ratios of AuNRs (3.12, 3.39 and 3.60) were synthesised using the seeding-growth method. The AuNPs produced were deposited on Si substrates by using a spin-coating method followed by heat treatment at 200 °C. The number of AuNPs coatings varied as one, three and five coating depositions, respectively. From the field emission scanning electron microscopy, the AuNPs were uniformly distributed on the Si substrate surface. The AuNPs distribution increased with increasing number of AuNPs coating. Various deposited AuNPs with different shapes and sizes were analysed using current–voltage (I–V) measurement in light–dark conditions. The results showed that the resistance of samples became lower under light condition as the number of AuNPs coatings increased on the Si substrate due to the large amount of AuNPs particles, which had better properties in absorbing and scattering the light intensity. Among these samples, five-coating depositions of 15 nm AuNSs and 3.12 aspect ratio of AuNRs thin films gave the best sensitivity in light–dark condition. The higher sensitivity implied the better sensing and recovery properties since it can amplify a small signal from the same light source power/intensity.

Laser synthesized gold nanoparticles for high sensitive strain gauges

We demonstrate high strain sensitivity property of gold nanoparticle (Au-NP) thin films fabricated on flexible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates. This behavior is attributed to quantum tunneling effect that is highly dependent on nanoparticle separation. Au-NPs were synthesized in water by nanosecond laser ablation method. The clean surface providing high tunneling decay constant, size of the Au-NPs and Au-NPs aggregate clusters offer advantages for high sensitivity strain sensor. We prepared Au-NPs films on flexible PDMS substrate by using hands-on drop-cast method. To obtain high gauge factor (g factor), we investigated the nanoparticles concentration on the substrate. Laser-generated Au-NPs films demonstrated g factor of ∼300 for higher than 0.22% strain and ∼80 for the strain lower than 0.22% strain, which is favorably comparable to reported sensitivities for strain sensors based on Au-NPs. Mechanical characterizations for the prolonged working durations suggest long term stability of the strain sensors. We discuss several models describing conductance of films in low and high strain regimes.

Semi-fluorinated Block Copolymer Directed Ordering of Gold Nanoparticles in Thin Films via Solvent Vapor Annealing

The block copolymer thin films were prepared by spin casting micellar solutions of poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(1H,1H dihydroperflurooctyl methacrylate)(PEO5k-b-PFOMA22k) in chloroform with or without gold salts. Upon fluorinated solvent vapor annealing, the disordered morphology of as-casted PEO5k-b-PFOMA22k thin films was changed to the phase inverted ordered morphology of spherical PEO cores in PFOMA continuous phase. The phase inversion strategy of the solvent annealing was found to enhance the long-range positional ordering of the thin films. The results suggest that an organized pattern of gold nanoparticles could be afforded inside the PEO domains of the hybrid thin films.

Gold nanoparticle thin films fabricated by electrophoretic deposition method for highly sensitive SERS application

We report an electrophoretic deposition method for the fabrication of gold nanoparticle (GNP) thin films as sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates. In this method, GNP sol, synthesized by a seed-mediated growth approach, and indium tin oxide (ITO) glass substrates were utilized as an electrophoretic solution and electrodes, respectively. From the scanning electron microscopy analysis, we found that the density of GNPs deposited on ITO glass substrates increases with prolonged electrophoresis time. The films possess high mechanical adhesion strength and exhibit strong localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect by showing high SERS sensitivity to detect 1 × 10−7 M rhodamine 6 G in methanol solution. Finally, the relationship between Raman signal amplification capability and GNP deposition density has been further investigated. The results of our experiment indicate that the high-density GNP film shows relatively higher signal amplification capability due to the strong LSPR effect in narrow gap regions between the neighboring particles on the film.

Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Thin Film Solar Cells Using a Hybrid Buffer Layer of Gold Nanoparticle and Tungsten Oxide Thin Film

A double layer of gold nano particles (Au-NPs) and amorphous tungsten oxide (a-WO3) was employed as a buffer layer on textured fluorine-tin oxide (FTO) glass in pin-type hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cells (a-Si:H SCs). Au-NPs of ∼10 nm size were spin coated and a-WO3 layer was thermally evaporated between Au-NPs on a FTO glass and hydrogenated amorphous p-type Si layer. a-Si:H SCs with a double buffer layer showed higher efficiency of 7% improvement, 8.059% from a value of 7.530%, and increased current density of 8.3% improvement, 14.212 mA/cm2 from a value of 13.120 mA/cm2, originating from the enhancement of electrical interface contact and bandgap alignment, as well as the slight absorption and surface plasmon resonance effect due to Au-NPs on textured FTO glass.

Facile deposition of gold nanoparticle thin films on semi-permeable cellulose substrate

This study reports the facile method for the deposition of gold nanoparticle thin film onto a monoporous semi-permeable cellulose membrane through the diffusion of borohydride ions leading to the reduction of AuCl4− ions. The synthesis of gold nanoparticle thin film was deposited on one side of the membrane that was exposed to AuCl4− ions while the other side containing a reducing agent remained clear. The gold nanoparticle thin film exhibited a broad surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak at 529nm. Various characterization techniques were employed and all demonstrated the presence of gold thin film. The reported method represents a simplistic method for the deposition of gold nanoparticle thin films and various other metal nanoparticles may be deposited following this method.

Surface enhanced absorption and transmission from dye coated gold nanoparticles in thin films

Absorption spectra of gold nanoisland thin film and the composite film of gold having thin coating of Methylene Blue and Rh6G dyes have been studied. Thin gold nanoisland film shows surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak in the visible wavelength range, which shifts to near infrared with an increase in the thickness of the film. It was found that thin film of gold consists of nanoparticles of different size and shape, particularly nanorods of noncylindrical shapes. A linear relation was found between SPR peak wavelength and the aspect ratio of the nanoparticles in gold thin film. Effective medium refractive index of the gold film is estimated to be ~2.5, which decreases with an increase in film thickness. The coating of dyes on gold films splits the SPR peak with an enhanced absorption. Enhancement in absorption of composite film is maximal when the dye absorption peak coincides with the SPR peak; otherwise enhancement in transmission is observed for all the wavelength range. Absorption amplitude of composite film peaks increase with an increase in the gold film thickness, which tend toward saturation for film thickness of ≥6 nm. A correlation shows that absorption spectra can be described by the Maxwell Garnett theory, when the gold nanoparticles have a nearly spherical shape for very thin film (≤6 nm).

Glycine Crystallization in Solution by CW Laser-Induced Microbubble on Gold Thin Film Surface

We have developed a novel laser-induced crystallization method utilizing local heat-induced bubble/water interface. Continuous laser beam of 1064 nm is focused on a gold nanoparticles thin film surface covered with glycine supersaturated aqueous solution. Light absorption of the film due to localized plasmon resonance caused local heating at the focal position and produced a single thermal vapor microbubble, which generated thermal gradient followed by convection flow around the bubble and eventually induced glycine crystallization and growth. The crystallization mechanism is discussed by considering gathering and accumulating molecules around the bubble/water interface assisted by convection flow and temperature jump.

Influence of process parameters on surface plasmon resonance characteristics of densely packed gold nanoparticle films grown by pulsed laser deposition

The optical responses of gold nanoparticle films and thin continuous films grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) in a wide range of process parameters were studied. The growth conditions for obtaining strong surface plasmon resonances (SPR) were optimized. Laser fluence and substrate temperature were found to play key roles in the SPR characteristics of the grown films. The SPR wavelength was tuned in the range of 580–720nm by varying number of pulses and target-to-substrate distance during the PLD. Atomic force microscopic analysis revealed that the size of metal nanoparticles systematically increased with increasing number of pulses and decreasing target-to-substrate distance. Morphology of the films, which exhibited strong SPR showed densely packed spheroid nanoparticles of gold. Theoretical calculations of SPR wavelengths for the presently studied densely packed gold nanoparticle films were carried out using modified Yamaguchi model which incorporate particle–substrate and particle–particle interactions. From these calculations it was found that the observed SPR responses and their tuning arise from the combination of high volume filling fraction and aspect ratios of the gold nanoparticles.

Peptide-induced patterning of gold nanoparticle thin films

In this work, the use of patterned proteins and peptides for the deposition of gold nanoparticles on several substrates with different surface chemistries is presented. The patterned biomolecule on the surface acts as a catalyst to precipitate gold nanoparticles from a precursor solution of HAuCl 4 onto the substrate. The peptide patterning on the surfaces was accomplished by physical adsorption or covalent attachment. It was shown that by using covalent attachment with a linker molecule, the influence of the surface properties from the different substrates on the biomolecule adsorption and subsequent nanoparticle deposition could be avoided. By adjusting the reaction conditions such as pH or HAuCl 4 concentration, the sizes and morphologies of deposited gold nanoparticle agglomerates could be controlled. Two biomolecules were used for this experiment, 3XFLAG peptide and bovine serum albumin (BSA). A micro-transfer molding technique was used to pattern the peptides on the substrates, in which a pre-patterned poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) mold was used to deposit a lift-off pattern of polypropylmethacrylate (PPMA) on the various substrates. The proteins were either physically adsorbed or covalently attached to the substrates, and an aqueous HAuCl 4 solution was applied on the substrates with the protein micropatterns, causing the precipitation of gold nanoparticles onto the patterns. SEM, AFM, and Electron Beam Induced Current (EBIC) were used for characterization.

Enhancement of luminescence of Rhodamine B by gold nanoparticles in thin films on glass for active optical materials applications

Fluorescent dyes in solid matrices have many potential applications provided that their high optical efficiencies are achieved. We present here gold nanoparticles formed and incorporated together with fluorescent dye Rhodamine B into a film of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The increase of fluorescence of the dye results from its interaction with surface plasmons. The electric charge on the gold nanoparticles and the distance between them and the dye molecules has a significant effect on the fluorescence intensity. Fluorescence enhancement of 74% was achieved for the negatively charged particles. Dynamic measurements reveal decrease of fluorescent lifetimes of the dye in presence of gold nanoparticles. Our findings enable utilization of films with enhanced fluorescence in optical materials such as luminescence solar concentrators, solid state tunable laser and active waveguides.

Ultrathin free-standing close-packed gold nanoparticle films: Conductivity and Raman scattering enhancement

A simple filtration technique was developed to prepare large scale free-standing close-packed gold nanoparticle ultrathin films using metal hydroxide nanostrands as both barrier layer and sacrificial layer. As thin as 70 nm, centimeter scale robust free-standing gold nanoparticle thin film was obtained. The thickness of the films could be easily tuned by the filtration volumes. The electronic conductivities of these films varied with the size of the gold nanoparticles, post-treatment temperature, and thickness, respectively. The conductivity of the film prepared from 20 nm gold nanoparticles is higher than that of the film prepared from 40 nm gold nanoparticle by filtering the same filtration volume of their solution, respectively. Their conductivities are comparable to that of the 220 nm thick ITO film. Furthermore, these films demonstrated an average surface Raman scattering enhancement up to 6.59 × 10(5) for Rhodamine 6 G molecules on the film prepared from 40 nm gold nanoparticles. Due to a lot of nano interspaces generated from the close-packed structures, two abnormal enhancements and relative stronger intensities of the asymmetrical vibrations at 1534 and 1594 cm(-1) of R6G were observed, respectively. These robust free-standing gold nanoparticle films could be easily transferred onto various solid substrates and hold the potential application for electrodes and surface enhanced Raman detectors. This method is applicable for preparation of other nanoparticle free-standing thin films.