Parallel Fabrication of Self-Assembled Nanogaps for Molecular Electronic Devices

Conductive Materials with Elaborate Micro/Nanostructures for Bioelectronics

Bioelectronics, an emerging field with the mutual penetration of biological systems and electronic sciences, allows the quantitative analysis of complicated biosignals together with the dynamic regulation of fateful biological functions. In this area, the development of conductive materials with elaborate micro/nanostructures has been of great significance to the improvement of high-performance bioelectronic devices. Thus, here, a comprehensive and up-to-date summary of relevant research studies on the fabrication and properties of conductive materials with micro/nanostructures and their promising applications and future opportunities in bioelectronic applications is presented. In addition, a critical analysis of the current opportunities and challenges regarding the future developments of conductive materials with elaborate micro/nanostructures for bioelectronic applications is also presented.

Massively Parallel Arrays of Size-Controlled Metallic Nanogaps with Gap-Widths Down to the Sub-3-nm Level

Metallic nanogaps (MNGs) are fundamental components of nanoscale photonic and electronic devices. However, the lack of reproducible, high-yield fabrication methods with nanometric control over the gap-size has hindered practical applications. A patterning technique based on molecular self-assembly and physical peeling is reported here that allows the gap-width to be tuned from more than 30 nm to less than 3 nm. The ability of the technique to define sub-3-nm gaps between dissimilar metals permits the easy fabrication of molecular rectifiers, in which conductive molecules bridge metals with differing work functions. A method is further described for fabricating massively parallel nanogap arrays containing hundreds of millions of ring-shaped nanogaps, in which nanometric size control is maintained over large patterning areas of up to a square centimeter. The arrays exhibit strong plasmonic resonances under visible light illumination and act as high-performance substrates for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, with high enhancement factors of up to 3 × 10⁸ relative to thin gold films. The methods described here extend the range of metallic nanostructures that can be fabricated over large areas, and are likely to find many applications in molecular electronics, plasmonics, and biosensing.

Understanding Interactions Driving the Template-Directed Self-Assembly of Colloidal Nanoparticles at Surfaces

Controlled deposition of colloidal nanoparticles using self-assembly is a promising technique for, for example, manufacturing of miniaturized electronics, and it bridges the gap between top-down and bottom-up methods. However, selecting materials and geometry of the target surface for optimal deposition results presents a significant challenge. Here, we describe a predictive framework based on the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek theory that allows rational design of colloidal nanoparticle deposition setups. The framework is demonstrated for a model system consisting of gold nanoparticles stabilized by trisodium citrate that are directed toward prefabricated sub-100 nm features on a silicon substrate. Experimental results for the model system are presented in conjunction with theoretical analysis to assess its reliability. It is shown that three-dimensional, nickel-coated structures are well suited for attracting gold nanoparticles and that optimization of the feature geometry based on the proposed framework leads to a systematic improvement in the number of successfully deposited particles.

Digital image analysis for measuring nanogap distance produced by adhesion lithography

A simple digital image analysis for measuring nanogap distance produced by adhesion lithography is proposed. Adhesion lithography produces metal electrodes with sub-15 nm undulated space and μm to mm scale width without using electron beam lithography. Although the process has been rapidly improved in recent years, there has been no generalized procedure to evaluate the nanogap distance. In this study, we propose a procedure to evaluate a nanogap electrode with large width/gap distance ratios (>1000). The procedure is to determine the average distance of nanogap space from the area and the perimeter of the space by the analysis of the grayscale image. This procedure excludes any arbitrariness of the estimation and gives quantitative comparison of nanogap electrodes produced by different processes.

From Single Molecules to Thin Film Electronics, Nanofibers, e-Textiles and Power Cables: Bridging Length Scales with Organic Semiconductors

Organic semiconductors are the centerpiece of several vibrant research fields from single-molecule to organic electronics, and they are finding increasing use in bioelectronics and even classical polymer technology. The versatile chemistry and broad range of electronic functionalities of conjugated materials enable the bridging of length scales 15 orders of magnitude apart, ranging from a single nanometer (10^-9 m) to the size of continents (10⁶ m). This work provides a taste of the diverse applications that can be realized with organic semiconductors. The reader will embark on a journey from single molecular junctions to thin film organic electronics, supramolecular assemblies, biomaterials such as amyloid fibrils and nanofibrillated cellulose, conducting fibers and yarns for e-textiles, and finally to power cables that shuffle power across thousands of kilometers.