AVS 47th International Symposium
    Processing at the Nanoscale/NANO 6 Thursday Sessions
       Session NS+NANO6-ThM

Paper NS+NANO6-ThM5
Immobilization and Isolation of Molecule Corral Nanostructures Produced on Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite

Thursday, October 5, 2000, 9:40 am, Room 302

Session: Nanostructured Materials
Presenter: J.D. McBride, University of Utah
Authors: J.D. McBride, University of Utah
Y.J. Zhu, University of Utah
B. Van Tassel, University of Utah
R.C. Jachmann, University of Utah
T.P. Beebe, Jr., University of Utah
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Gold and silver nanostructures have been produced by condensing evaporated gold onto nanometer-sized etch pit templates (molecule corrals) on the surface of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). By varying the ratio of the thickness of gold deposited to the diameter of the etch pit templates, three distinct types of gold nanostructures can be produced: rings, disks, and mesas. These nanostructures have been formed with their outer diameters ranging from 20 to 150 nm. In order to use these nanostructures in the microelectronics industry, or for potential use as sensor arrays, they must be isolated both from one another as well as from the conductive graphite surface on which they are produced. Two different methods for isolating these nanostructures have been investigated. First, the use of (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPS) as a molecular adhesive@footnote 1@ to anchor the gold nanostructures to glass and silicon substrates was evaluated. The degree of gold transfer to the glass and silicon surfaces was examined using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), scanning tunneling microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The second technique used for isolating gold nanostructures was the immobilization and encapsulation of the nanostructures within a spin-coated fluoropolymer film. These polymer films were examined using both the spectral and imaging modes of XPS and ToF-SIMS. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@ Goss, C. A.; Charych, D. H.; Majda, M. Anal. Chem. 1991, 63, 85-88.