Generalized Theory of Smallest Diameter of Metallic Nanorods

TL;DR

This paper develops a generalized theory for the minimum diameter of metallic nanorods during vapor deposition, accounting for nanorod separation and van der Waals interactions, improving upon previous idealized models.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive theory that includes nanorod separation and van der Waals effects, extending prior geometrical shadowing models.

Findings

Numerical solutions align with the generalized theory.

Experimental results confirm the theory's predictions.

The theory accurately predicts nanorod diameters based on separation.

Abstract

This Letter reports a generalized theory of the smallest diameter of metallic nanorods from physical vapor deposition. The generalization incorporates the effects of nanorod separation and those of van der Waals interactions on geometrical shadowing. In contrast, the previous theory for idealized geometrical shadowing [Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 136102 (2013)] does not include any dependence on nanorod separation and it predicts the diameter to be about to of what the generalized theory does. As verification, numerical solutions and the generalized theory in closed-form agree in terms of effective deposition flux. As validation, experiments of physical vapor deposition and the generalized theory agree in terms of the diameter as a function of the separation of nanorods.