The nanoporous PS thin films created by BCP lithography can be used as etching masks in reactive ion etching for the pattern transfer into the substrate.

We use such hexagonally self-arranged arrays of ~ 20 nm diameter pores in a thin SiO2 film on silicon as topographic traps for the controlled and fixed the arrangement of Au nanoparticles at specific sites on the surface.

We observed that using a simple doctor blade technique it is possible to assemble colloidal Au nanoparticles selectively inside the nanopores with fractions of up to 88 % of pores filled. Adjustment of nanopore size and Au NP size allows for the selective filling of pores with single Au NPs.

We investigate the mechanism of the site-selective deposition of colloidal nanoparticles.

This project is performed in collaboration with Dr. Rosaria Puglisi et al. from Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Instituto per la Microelettronica e Microsistemi (CNR-IMM), Catania, Italy.