A novel method for fabrication of 2D and 3D metal nanoparticle structures and arrays is proposed. This technique is based on laser-induced transfer of molten metal nanodroplets from thin metal films. Metal nanoparticles are produced by solidification of these nanodroplets. The size of the transferred nanoparticles can be controllably changed in the range from 180 nm to 1500 nm. Several examples of complex 2D and 3D microstructures generated form gold nanoparticles are demonstrated.

© 2010 OSA

1. K. Li, M. I. Stockman, and D. J. Bergman, “Self-similar chain of metal nanospheres as an efficient nanolens,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 91(22), 227402 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
2. J. Dai, F. Cajko, I. Tsukerman, and M. I. Stockman, “Electrodynamic effects in plasmonic nanolenses,” Phys. Rev. B 77(11), 115419 (2008). [CrossRef]
3. K. Li, X. Li, M. I. Stockman, and D. Bergman, “Surface plasmon amplification by stimulated emission in nanolenses,” Phys. Rev. B 71(11), 115409 (2005). [CrossRef]
4. M. I. Stockman, “Spasers explained,” Nat. Photonics 2(6), 327–329 (2008). [CrossRef]
5. C. Rockstuhl and T. Scharf, “A metamaterial based on coupled metallic nanoparticles and its band-gap property,” J. Microsc. 229(2), 281–286 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
6. M. A. Noginov, G. Zhu, A. M. Belgrave, R. Bakker, V. M. Shalaev, E. E. Narimanov, S. Stout, E. Herz, T. Suteewong, and U. Wiesner, “Demonstration of a spaser-based nanolaser,” Nature 460(7259), 1110–1112 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
7. A. N. Grigorenko, A. K. Geim, H. F. Gleeson, Y. Zhang, A. A. Firsov, I. Y. Khrushchev, and J. Petrovic, “Nanofabricated media with negative permeability at visible frequencies,” Nature 438(7066), 335–338 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
8. V. G. Kravets, F. Schedin, A. V. Kabashin, and A. N. Grigorenko, “Sensitivity of collective plasmon modes of gold nanoresonators to local environment,” Opt. Lett. 35(7), 956–958 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
9. S. A. Maier, P. G. Kik, H. A. Atwater, S. Meltzer, E. Harel, B. E. Koel, and A. A. Requicha, “Local detection of electromagnetic energy transport below the diffraction limit in metal nanoparticle plasmon waveguides,” Nat. Mater. 2(4), 229–232 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
10. A. L. Stepanov, J. R. Krenn, H. Ditlbacher, A. Hohenau, A. Drezet, B. Steinberger, A. Leitner, and F. R. Aussenegg, “Quantitative analysis of surface plasmon interaction with silver nanoparticles,” Opt. Lett. 30(12), 1524–1526 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
11. I. P. Radko, A. B. Evlyukhin, A. Boltasseva, and S. I. Bozhevolnyi, “Refracting surface plasmon polaritons with nanoparticle arrays,” Opt. Express 16(6), 3924–3930 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
12. C. Reinhardt, S. Passinger, B. N. Chichkov, C. Marquart, I. P. Radko, and S. I. Bozhevolnyi, “Laser-fabricated dielectric optical components for surface plasmon polaritons,” Opt. Lett. 31(9), 1307–1309 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
13. R. Kiyan, C. Reinhardt, S. Passinger, A. L. Stepanov, A. Hohenau, J. R. Krenn, and B. N. Chichkov, “Rapid prototyping of optical components for surface plasmon polaritons,” Opt. Express 15(7), 4205–4215 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
14. A. Habenicht, M. Olapinski, F. Burmeister, P. Leiderer, and J. Boneberg, “Jumping nanodroplets,” Science 309(5743), 2043–2045 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
15. J. Boneberg, A. Habenicht, D. Benner, P. Leiderer, M. Trautvetter, C. Pfahler, A. Plettl, and P. Ziemann, “Jumping nanodroplets: a new route towards metallic nano-particles,” Appl. Phys., A Mater. Sci. Process. 93(2), 415–419 (2008). [CrossRef]
16. R. A. McMillan, C. D. Paavola, J. Howard, S. L. Chan, N. J. Zaluzec, and J. D. Trent, “Ordered nanoparticle arrays formed on engineered chaperonin protein templates,” Nat. Mater. 1(4), 247–252 (2002). [CrossRef]
17. Th. Schimmel, H. v. Löhneysen, Ch. Obermair, and M. Barczewski, Nanotechnology. Physics, Chemistry, and Biology of Functional Nanostructures (Landesstiftung Baden-Wüttemberg gGmbH, Karlsruhe, 2008).
18. G. Zhang, D. Wang, and H. Möhwald, “Ordered binary arrays of Au nanoparticles derived from colloidal lithography,” Nano Lett. 7(1), 127–132 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
19. G. Zhang and D. Wang, “Colloidal lithography--the art of nanochemical patterning,” Chem. Asian J. 4(2), 236–245 (2009). [CrossRef]
20. M. C. Gwinner, E. Koroknay, L. Fu, P. Patoka, W. Kandulski, M. Giersig, and H. Giessen, “Periodic large-area metallic split-ring resonator metamaterial fabrication based on shadow nanosphere lithography,” Small 5(3), 400–406 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
21. G. Zhang, J. Zhang, G. Xie, Z. Liu, and H. Shao, “Cicada wings: a stamp from nature for nanoimprint lithography,” Small 2(12), 1440–1443 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
22. A. V. Kabashin, P. Evans, S. Pastkovsky, W. Hendren, G. A. Wurtz, R. Atkinson, R. Pollard, V. A. Podolskiy, and A. V. Zayats, “Plasmonic nanorod metamaterials for biosensing,” Nat. Mater. 8(11), 867–871 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
23. N. Liu, H. Guo, L. Fu, S. Kaiser, H. Schweizer, and H. Giessen, “Three-dimensional photonic metamaterials at optical frequencies,” Nat. Mater. 7(1), 31–37 (2008). [CrossRef]
24. N. Liu, H. Liu, S. Zhu, and H. Giessen, “Stereometamaterials,” Nat. Photonics 3(3), 157–162 (2009). [CrossRef]
25. A. I. Kuznetsov, J. Koch, and B. N. Chichkov, “Laser-induced backward transfer of gold nanodroplets,” Opt. Express 17(21), 18820–18825 (2009). [CrossRef]
26. A. I. Kuznetsov, A. B. Evlyukhin, C. Reinhardt, A. Seidel, R. Kiyan, W. Cheng, A. Ovsianikov, and B. N. Chichkov, “Laser-induced transfer of metallic nanodroplets for plasmonics and metamaterial applications,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 26(12), B130–B138 (2009). [CrossRef]
27. D. A. Willis and V. Grosu, “Microdroplet deposition by laser-induced forward transfer,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 86(24), 244103 (2005). [CrossRef]
28. D. P. Banks, C. Grivas, J. D. Mills, R. W. Eason, and I. Zergioti, “Nanodroplets deposited in microarrays by femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser-induced forward transfer,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 89(19), 193107 (2006). [CrossRef]
29. L. Yang, C.- Wang, X.- Ni, Z.- Wang, W. Jia, and L. Chai, “Microdroplet deposition of copper film by femtosecond laser-induced forward transfer,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 89(16), 161110 (2006). [CrossRef]
30. A. Narazaki, T. Sato, R. Kurosaki, Y. Kawaguchi, and H. Niino, “Nano- and microdot array formation of FeSi2 by nanosecond excimer laser-induced forward transfer,” Appl. Phys. Express 1, 057001 (2008). [CrossRef]
31. A. I. Kuznetsov, J. Koch, and B. N. Chichkov, “Nanostructuring of thin gold films by femtosecond lasers,” Appl. Phys., A Mater. Sci. Process. 94(2), 221–230 (2009). [CrossRef]

Appl. Phys. Express

• A. Narazaki, T. Sato, R. Kurosaki, Y. Kawaguchi, and H. Niino, “Nano- and microdot array formation of FeSi2 by nanosecond excimer laser-induced forward transfer,” Appl. Phys. Express 1, 057001 (2008). [CrossRef]

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• D. A. Willis and V. Grosu, “Microdroplet deposition by laser-induced forward transfer,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 86(24), 244103 (2005). [CrossRef]
• D. P. Banks, C. Grivas, J. D. Mills, R. W. Eason, and I. Zergioti, “Nanodroplets deposited in microarrays by femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser-induced forward transfer,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 89(19), 193107 (2006). [CrossRef]
• L. Yang, C.- Wang, X.- Ni, Z.- Wang, W. Jia, and L. Chai, “Microdroplet deposition of copper film by femtosecond laser-induced forward transfer,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 89(16), 161110 (2006). [CrossRef]

Appl. Phys., A Mater. Sci. Process.

• A. I. Kuznetsov, J. Koch, and B. N. Chichkov, “Nanostructuring of thin gold films by femtosecond lasers,” Appl. Phys., A Mater. Sci. Process. 94(2), 221–230 (2009). [CrossRef]
• J. Boneberg, A. Habenicht, D. Benner, P. Leiderer, M. Trautvetter, C. Pfahler, A. Plettl, and P. Ziemann, “Jumping nanodroplets: a new route towards metallic nano-particles,” Appl. Phys., A Mater. Sci. Process. 93(2), 415–419 (2008). [CrossRef]

Chem. Asian J.

• G. Zhang and D. Wang, “Colloidal lithography--the art of nanochemical patterning,” Chem. Asian J. 4(2), 236–245 (2009). [CrossRef]

J. Microsc.

• C. Rockstuhl and T. Scharf, “A metamaterial based on coupled metallic nanoparticles and its band-gap property,” J. Microsc. 229(2), 281–286 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

J. Opt. Soc. Am. B

• A. I. Kuznetsov, A. B. Evlyukhin, C. Reinhardt, A. Seidel, R. Kiyan, W. Cheng, A. Ovsianikov, and B. N. Chichkov, “Laser-induced transfer of metallic nanodroplets for plasmonics and metamaterial applications,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 26(12), B130–B138 (2009). [CrossRef]

Nano Lett.

• G. Zhang, D. Wang, and H. Möhwald, “Ordered binary arrays of Au nanoparticles derived from colloidal lithography,” Nano Lett. 7(1), 127–132 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Nat. Mater.

• A. V. Kabashin, P. Evans, S. Pastkovsky, W. Hendren, G. A. Wurtz, R. Atkinson, R. Pollard, V. A. Podolskiy, and A. V. Zayats, “Plasmonic nanorod metamaterials for biosensing,” Nat. Mater. 8(11), 867–871 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• N. Liu, H. Guo, L. Fu, S. Kaiser, H. Schweizer, and H. Giessen, “Three-dimensional photonic metamaterials at optical frequencies,” Nat. Mater. 7(1), 31–37 (2008). [CrossRef]
• R. A. McMillan, C. D. Paavola, J. Howard, S. L. Chan, N. J. Zaluzec, and J. D. Trent, “Ordered nanoparticle arrays formed on engineered chaperonin protein templates,” Nat. Mater. 1(4), 247–252 (2002). [CrossRef]
• S. A. Maier, P. G. Kik, H. A. Atwater, S. Meltzer, E. Harel, B. E. Koel, and A. A. Requicha, “Local detection of electromagnetic energy transport below the diffraction limit in metal nanoparticle plasmon waveguides,” Nat. Mater. 2(4), 229–232 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Nat. Photonics

• M. I. Stockman, “Spasers explained,” Nat. Photonics 2(6), 327–329 (2008). [CrossRef]
• N. Liu, H. Liu, S. Zhu, and H. Giessen, “Stereometamaterials,” Nat. Photonics 3(3), 157–162 (2009). [CrossRef]

Nature

• M. A. Noginov, G. Zhu, A. M. Belgrave, R. Bakker, V. M. Shalaev, E. E. Narimanov, S. Stout, E. Herz, T. Suteewong, and U. Wiesner, “Demonstration of a spaser-based nanolaser,” Nature 460(7259), 1110–1112 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• A. N. Grigorenko, A. K. Geim, H. F. Gleeson, Y. Zhang, A. A. Firsov, I. Y. Khrushchev, and J. Petrovic, “Nanofabricated media with negative permeability at visible frequencies,” Nature 438(7066), 335–338 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Express

• I. P. Radko, A. B. Evlyukhin, A. Boltasseva, and S. I. Bozhevolnyi, “Refracting surface plasmon polaritons with nanoparticle arrays,” Opt. Express 16(6), 3924–3930 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• R. Kiyan, C. Reinhardt, S. Passinger, A. L. Stepanov, A. Hohenau, J. R. Krenn, and B. N. Chichkov, “Rapid prototyping of optical components for surface plasmon polaritons,” Opt. Express 15(7), 4205–4215 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• A. I. Kuznetsov, J. Koch, and B. N. Chichkov, “Laser-induced backward transfer of gold nanodroplets,” Opt. Express 17(21), 18820–18825 (2009). [CrossRef]

Opt. Lett.

• C. Reinhardt, S. Passinger, B. N. Chichkov, C. Marquart, I. P. Radko, and S. I. Bozhevolnyi, “Laser-fabricated dielectric optical components for surface plasmon polaritons,” Opt. Lett. 31(9), 1307–1309 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• A. L. Stepanov, J. R. Krenn, H. Ditlbacher, A. Hohenau, A. Drezet, B. Steinberger, A. Leitner, and F. R. Aussenegg, “Quantitative analysis of surface plasmon interaction with silver nanoparticles,” Opt. Lett. 30(12), 1524–1526 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• V. G. Kravets, F. Schedin, A. V. Kabashin, and A. N. Grigorenko, “Sensitivity of collective plasmon modes of gold nanoresonators to local environment,” Opt. Lett. 35(7), 956–958 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Phys. Rev. B

• J. Dai, F. Cajko, I. Tsukerman, and M. I. Stockman, “Electrodynamic effects in plasmonic nanolenses,” Phys. Rev. B 77(11), 115419 (2008). [CrossRef]
• K. Li, X. Li, M. I. Stockman, and D. Bergman, “Surface plasmon amplification by stimulated emission in nanolenses,” Phys. Rev. B 71(11), 115409 (2005). [CrossRef]

Phys. Rev. Lett.

• K. Li, M. I. Stockman, and D. J. Bergman, “Self-similar chain of metal nanospheres as an efficient nanolens,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 91(22), 227402 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Science

• A. Habenicht, M. Olapinski, F. Burmeister, P. Leiderer, and J. Boneberg, “Jumping nanodroplets,” Science 309(5743), 2043–2045 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Small

• M. C. Gwinner, E. Koroknay, L. Fu, P. Patoka, W. Kandulski, M. Giersig, and H. Giessen, “Periodic large-area metallic split-ring resonator metamaterial fabrication based on shadow nanosphere lithography,” Small 5(3), 400–406 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• G. Zhang, J. Zhang, G. Xie, Z. Liu, and H. Shao, “Cicada wings: a stamp from nature for nanoimprint lithography,” Small 2(12), 1440–1443 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Other

• Th. Schimmel, H. v. Löhneysen, Ch. Obermair, and M. Barczewski, Nanotechnology. Physics, Chemistry, and Biology of Functional Nanostructures (Landesstiftung Baden-Wüttemberg gGmbH, Karlsruhe, 2008).

Click here to see a list of articles that cite this paper

Related Journal Articles

• Experimental observation of plasmon polariton waves supported by a thin metal film of finite width (OL)
• Micro-ablation with high power pulsed copper vapor lasers (OE)
• Geometries and materials for subwavelength surface plasmon modes (JOSAA)
• Laser-induced backward transfer of gold nanodroplets (OE)
• Rapid fabrication of surface micro/nano structures with enhanced broadband absorption on Cu by picosecond laser (OE)

Related Conference Papers

• Laser Applications in GE
• Micromachining with Tailored Pulse Parameters
• Laser Precision Engineering: From Microprocessing to Nanofabrication
• Substrate Study of Tungsten Nano-Gratings Deposited by a Single Femtosecond Laser Beam
• Femtosecond Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures on Tungsten