Normally, to synthesize patterned nanowires or highly ordered nanostructures, it has been necessary to have access to expensive tools such as electron beam lithography, a multi-million dollar clean room fabrication facility, and highly trained staff. Furthermore, making duplicate structures requires many hours of patterning, photoresist developing, vacuum deposition and selective removal of materials. With all such work, there are no short cuts.

The undergraduate research group at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is introducing a practical alternative to these techniques for a wide variety of materials. Electroplate and Lift Lithography1,2 is very different process that uses a simple electroplating on a permanent template and removal of the wires. Duplication of identical structures can be accomplished in minutes using simple equipment on an ordinary laboratory bench top. As a STEM outreach activity, this provides some extraordinary opportunities for students and provides a pathway for high school students to make novel microwire/nanowire research contributions while they are still in high school. The talk will include a brief demonstration of growing copper microwires using a very simple, handheld instrument.

References:

(1) Seley, D.B. et. al., ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2011, 3 (4), pp 925-930 (cover story)

(2) Supporting animation: http://chemdept-nmr.uwsp.edu/~...

Mike Zach

EChem Nanowires Educational Foundation, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Appearances