Ultra-high resolution patterning and transfer-printing of nanoparticles for diverse applications

Abstract

Nanoparticles exhibit unique properties which differ from those of bulk. In addition to the excellent physical properties that randomly deposited nanoparticles grant to many applications, nanoparticles that are localized in particular pattern have significant potentials to broaden their intrinsic characteristics due to coupling and ensemble effects that each different nanoparticle orientation carries. However, subtle control of positional information of 1-100 nm sized particles requires complex manipulation of the confinement effect, thermodynamic stabilization, and post-transfer to final device structures. Nanoparticles are mass-synthesized using solution synthesis method, which makes them challenging to be adopted to the conventional deposition processes used for patterning. Therefore it is critical to develop a paradigm shifting methodology to pattern solution-based nanoparticles via innovative principle. In this thesis, thermodynamic behavior of nanoparticles in confined environment is carefully studied in order to understand the fundamental interaction of single-nanoparticle. Then, a novel patterning and transfer-printing techniques of nanoparticle arrays was developed, which were finally adopted to suggest innovative designs on electroluminescence quantum dot light emitting diode and multiplex miRNA detection platform.