NER: Manipulation and 3D Organization of Nanoparticles Using Dielectrophoresis

该项目是响应纳米科学和工程倡议，NSF 01-157，类别NER，它解决了纳米粒子的操纵和组织。将胶体颗粒组织成一维、二维和三维有序结构是制造大量具有重要技术意义的小型化产品的第一步。结构属性如长程有序、高堆积密度、高表面积与体积比以及可再现的形状和尺寸是高度期望的。力显微镜和光学镊子已被用于少量单个颗粒的操作，而胶体结晶和模板已被用于颗粒组织;然而，巨大的挑战仍然存在。我们的目标是开发一种方法，该方法利用非均匀电场（介电泳，DEP）来将纳米颗粒组织成明确定义的二维和三维有序结构（例如，金字塔、平行六面体），具有规定的长度比例和组成。这样的方法是可扩展的并且容易自动化，并且将允许制造具有纳米级量级的功能材料，其可以用于它们的结构性质，例如，光子材料或高密度数据记录装置，和/或它们的结构，例如，预制块朝向更复杂的装置（“自下而上”战略）。我们将遵循系统的方法，从2D到3D顺序，从微粒到纳米颗粒。本研究是探索性的和高风险的，因为在组织过程中产生的力可能会使DEP效应无效，并且纳米颗粒的有效组织所需的电极的尺寸可能具有挑战性。本研究应该通过（a）使用DEP制造具有分级有序的纳米结构，以及（B）开发用于在大规模制造中有效实施DEP的工艺设计工具。参与该项目的研究生和本科生将获得宝贵的经验，而工业（和社区）将受益于通过这项研究在大学开发的纳米结构和纳米制造的专业知识。

This project was received in response to Nanoscale Science and Engineering initiative, NSF 01-157, category NER, and it addresses the manipulation and organization of nanoparticles. The organization of colloidal particles into one-, two- and three-dimensional ordered structures represents the first step towards the fabrication of a large number of miniaturized products of great technological importance. Structural attributes such as long-range order, high packing density, high surface-to-volume ratio, and reproducible shape and dimensions are highly desirable. Force microscopy and optical tweezers have been used for the manipulation of a small number of individual particles, while colloidal crystallization and templating have been used for particle organization; however, big challenges remain. Our goal is to develop a methodology that utilizes nonuniform electric fields (dielectrophoresis, DEP) to direct the organization of nanoparticles into well-defined two- and three-dimensional ordered structures (e.g., pyramids, parallelepipeds) with prescribed length scales and composition. Such methodology is scalable and readily automated, and would allow the manufacturing of functional materials with nanometer-scale order that can be used for their structural properties, e.g., photonic materials or high density data recording devices, and/or their structure, e.g., prefabricated blocks towards more complicated devices ("bottom up" strategy). We will follow a systematic approach, from 2D to 3D order and from microparticles to nanoparticles. This research is exploratory and high risk since forces developed during the organization process may nullify the DEP effect, and the dimensions of the electrodes required for the efficient organization of nanoparticles may be challenging to fabricate.This research should lead to significant advancements in the field of nanotechnology by the (a) fabrication of nanostructures having hierarchical-order using DEP, and (b) development of process design tools for efficient implementation of DEP in large-scale manufacturing. The graduate and undergraduate students who will be involved in the project will gain valuable experience, while industry (and the community) will benefit from the expertise on nanostructures and nanomanufacturing developed at the university through this research.