Controllable Synthesis of Two-Dimensional Metal Nanoparticle Arrays with Oriented Size and Number Density Gradients

摘要

Semiconductor and metal nanoparticles are of scientific interest because of their unique physical properties, which are in stark contrast to their bulk counterparts. They can be utilized in a wide variety of applications, including electronic and optical devices and optical and magnetic storage systems, sensors, magnetic fluids, medical diagnostics, membranes, and catalysts. The most critical factor towards the realization of nanoparticle-based technology is the ability to synthesize a nanoparticle assembly with defined size and spatial organization in three and two dimensions, and to some extent one dimension. The size and interparticle spacing of the nanoparticles can have a dramatic effect on their properties. For example, the chemical sensitivities and optical properties of nanoparticle-based materials can be tuned by varying the particle size, leading to a shift in the energy levels or band gap. In addition, the properties of nanoparticle-based nanostructures may also be seriously altered by particle-particle interactions.