Article

Fabrication of artificial opals by electric-field-assisted vertical deposition.

Department of Materials Science, Moscow State University, Leninskie Hills, 119991 Moscow, Russia.
Langmuir (impact factor: 4.19). 02/2010; 26(4):2346-51. DOI:10.1021/la902793b pp.2346-51
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT We present a new technique for large-scale fabrication of colloidal crystals with controllable quality and thickness. The method is based on vertical deposition in the presence of a DC electric field normal to the conducting substrate. The crystal structure and quality are quantitatively characterized by microradian X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and optical reflectometry. Attraction between the charged colloidal spheres and the substrate promotes growth of thicker crystalline films, while the best-quality crystals are formed in the presence of repulsion. Highly ordered thick crystalline layers with a small amount of stacking faults and a low mosaic spread can be obtained by optimizing the growth conditions.

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31 Oct 2012

Keywords

conducting substrate
 
controllable quality
 
DC electric field normal
 
large-scale fabrication
 
low mosaic spread
 
microradian X-ray diffraction
 
scanning electron microscopy
 
small amount
 
substrate promotes growth
 
thicker crystalline films