Wedging Transfer of Nanostructures

TL;DR

This paper introduces a water-based, versatile transfer method for nanostructures that is simple, rapid, and adaptable to various shapes and materials, enabling precise placement on complex surfaces.

Contribution

A novel water-mediated transfer technique for nanostructures that works on diverse substrates and shapes without specialized equipment.

Findings

Effective transfer of graphene and metallic nanostructures demonstrated

Method applicable to curved and patterned surfaces

Transfer process is fast and equipment-light

Abstract

We report a versatile water-based method for transferring nanostructures onto surfaces of various shapes and compositions. The transfer occurs through the intercalation of a layer of water between a hydrophilic substrate and a hydrophobic nanostructure (for example, graphene flakes, carbon nanotubes, metallic nanostructures, quantum dots, etc) locked within a hydrophobic polymer thin film. As a result, the film entrapping the nanostructure is lifted off and floats at the air-water interface. The nanostructure can subsequently be deposited onto a target substrate by the removal of the water and the dissolution of the polymeric film. We show examples where graphene flakes and patterned metallic nanostructures are precisely transferred onto a specific location on a variety of patterned substrates, even on top of curved objects such as microspheres. The method is simple to use, fast, and does not require advanced equipment.