Massively Scalable Self-Assembly of Nano and Microparticle Monolayers via Aerosol Assisted Deposition

An extremely rapid process for self-assembling well-ordered, nano, and microparticle monolayers via a novel aerosolized method is presented. The novel technique can reach monolayer self-assembly rates as high as 268 cm2 min-1 from a single aerosolizing source and methods to reach faster monolayer self-assembly rates are outlined. A new physical mechanism describing the self-assembly process is presented and new insights enabling high-efficiency nanoparticle monolayer self-assembly are developed. In addition, well-ordered monolayer arrays from particles of various sizes, surface functionality, and materials are fabricated. This new technique enables a 93x increase in monolayer self-assembly rates compared to the current state of the art and has the potential to provide an extremely low-cost option for submicron nanomanufacturing. Self-assembled colloidal lithography provides a cost effective and simple strategy to produce submicron and nanoscale lithography. However, current self-assembly strategies have proved very challenging to scale and maintain highly ordered nanostructured arrays. A novel aerosol-based strategy is demonstrated to increase colloidal self-assembly rates as high as 268 cm2 min-1 and new physical mechanisms governing the self-assembly are discussed.image