Fabrication method of size-controlled, spatially distributed nanostructures by atomic layer deposition

Abstract

A method of growing spatially-separated and size-controlled particles on substrate surfaces is provided. The method utilizes chemical modification of the substrate surface, an atomic layer deposition (ALD) system, providing a modified layer to the substrate surface and providing an ALD material for nanoparticle deposition. The method induces a Volmer-Weber growth method, where islands of the nanoparticles are formed on the surface. The modified layer controls a number of nucleation sites on the surface, where controlling the number of ALD cycles limits an amount of deposited the material for discrete the nanoparticles. The modified layer can include self-assembled monolayers, modified hydrophobicity of the surface, H-terminated surfaces, and varying functional groups within the modified layer, where thermally attached alkenes, photochemically attached alkenes, thermally attached alkynes or photochemically attached alkynes are attached to the H-terminated surfaces, and the density of the nucleation sites of the nanoparticles are thereby managed.