Two-dimensionally patterned nanostructures based on monolayer colloidal crystals: Controllable fabrication, assembly, and applications

摘要

Colloidal lithography based on monolayer colloidal crystals (MCCs) is a facile, inexpensive, efficient, and flexible nanofabrication approaches towards a wide variety of two-dimensionally (2D) patterned nanostructures with high controllability and reproducibility. This review gives a systematic overview on the recent advances in the controllable fabrication and assembly of 2D patterned nanostructures assisted by MCCs, with particular attention paid to the applications of the MCC-based nanostructures. First, the representative methods for the self-assembly of hexagonal-close-packed (hcp) MCCs and other complex MCCs are introduced. Next, the MCC-assisted fabrication (e.g., etching and deposition) of 2D patterned nanostructures at different two-phase (e.g., gas/solid, liquid/solid, and gas/liquid) interfaces is described, which is followed by a discussion on the MCC-assisted assembly from preformed nanoscale building blocks. Then, the novel properties and emerging applications of the 2D patterned nanostructures based on MCCs in various fields, such as photonics, plasmonics, SERS, antireflection, surface wetting, biological and chemical sensing, solar cells, photocatalysis, field emission, biomimetic fabrication, and other biological and electronic applications, are summarized. An outlook on future developments in this area is also provided.