Coulomb Crystals and Liquids: A Novel Dry Directed Self-Assembly Technique for Synthesizing Nanostructures

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We request SGER funding to develop a novel technology for self-assembling spatially ordered arrays of uniformly sized nanostructures (quantum dots) on arbitrary substrates. These arrays have intriguing optical, electronic, magnetic and superconducting properties. We have already demonstrated that they exhibit an enhanced transition temperature for the onset of superconductivity because of a discretization of the density of quasi-particle states. We foresee many other applications of these arrays.Self-ordering of the arrays is achieved through a process known as Coulomb crystallization. This technique has many advantages over existing self-assembly methods such as Stranski-Krasatanow growth of quantum dots and electrochemical synthesis. We will develop the Coulomb crystal technology into a new paradigm for nanosynthesis and demonstrate device phenomena in finished nanostructures. A theoretical understanding of the self-assembly process will be gained through extensive modeling and simulation.