NANOANTENNA ARRAYS FOR NANOSPECTROSCOPY, METHODS OF USE AND METHODS OF HIGH-THROUGHPUT NANOFABRICATION

• US 20130148194A1
• Filed: 10/22/2010
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trustees of Boston University
• Original Assignee: Trustees of Boston University
• Inventors: Altug, Hatice, Yanik, Ahmet Ali, Erramilli, Shyamsunder, Huang, Min, Artar, Alp, Adato, Ronen, Aksu, Serap
• Granted Patent: US 10,571,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/350
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/554 detecting the surface plasmon resonance of nanostructured metals, e.g. localised surface plasmon resonance
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/658 enhancement Raman, e.g. surface plasmons
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/008 Surface plasmon devices diffractive gratings with a pitch less than or comparable to the wavelength G02B5/1809; surface plasmons in integrated optics G02B6/1226; optical analysis of materials by means of surface plasmons G01N21/553
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/932 for electronic or optoelectronic application

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to nanoantenna arrays and methods of their fabrication. In particular, one aspect relates to nanoantenna arrays comprising nanostructures of predefined shapes in predefined patterns, which results in collective excitement of surface plasmons. In some embodiments the nanoantenna arrays can be used for spectroscopy and nanospectroscopy. Another aspects of the present invention relate to a method of high-throughput fabrication of nanoantenna arrays includes fabricating a reusable nanostencil for nanostensil lithography (NSL) which provides a mask to deposit materials onto virtually any support, such as flexible and thin-film stretchable supports. The nanostencil lithography methods enable high quality, high-throughput fabrication of nanostructures on conducting, non-conducting and magnetic supports. The nanostencil can be prepared by etching nanoapertures of predefined patterns into a waffer or ceramic membrane. In some embodiments, a nanoantenna array comprises plasmonic nanostructures or non-plasmonic nanostructures.

Claims

1. A nanoantenna array device comprising;

a. a support;

b. a plurality of plasmonic nanostructures where the plasmonic nanostructures has a controlled shape;

wherein the plurality of plasmonic nanostructures have a predefined shape in a predefined pattern with respect to the support, and wherein the predefined pattern is a function of the collective excitation of plasmons and localized plasmon resonance.

2. The nanoantenna array of claim 1, wherein the plurality of plasmonic nanostructures are

(i) a raised on the surface of the support, and/or

(ii) embedded at or below the surface of the support.

5. The nanoantenna array of claim 1, wherein the predefined pattern is a selected from the group consisting of:

a periodic pattern, a non-periodic pattern, a uniform pattern, a lattice, a non-random pattern, and a super-periodic pattern.

11. The nanoantenna array of claim 1, wherein the support is a non-conductive layer.

14. The nanoantenna array of claim 2, wherein the plurality of plasmonic nanostructures embedded below the surface of the support is layered with a material that can be penetrated by an incident wavelength of electromagnetic radiation.

15. The nanoantenna array of claim 1, wherein the predefined shapes of the plasmonic nanostructures are shapes selected from the group consisting of:

nanorod, nanorectangle, nanosquare, nanodisc, nanocircle, nano-oval, nanotriangle, cross-shaped, nanowires, or irregular shaped.

16. The nanoantenna array of claim 1, wherein the plasmonic nanostructures are separated by a periodicity of between 100-10,000 nm.

18. The nanoantenna array of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive layer is between the support and the plurality of plasmonic nanostructures.

20. The nanoantenna array of claim 18, wherein the adhesive layer is at least 50 nm in thickness.

24. The nanoantenna array of claim 1, wherein the plasmonic nanostructures comprise at least one plasmonic material or a nonplasmonic material.

32. The nanoantenna array of claim 1, wherein the plasmonic nanostructures are coupled to one or more other plasmonic nanostructures.

39. The nanoantenna array of claim 1, wherein the plasmonic nanostructures comprise a plurality of layers of two or more different plasmonic materials.

40. The nanoantenna array of claim 1, wherein the plasmonic nanostructures are arranged in a predefined pattern as a function of their localized plasmon resonance.

46. The nanoantenna array of claim 1, wherein the support has a substantially planar surface.

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

6-10. -10. (canceled)

12-13. -13. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

21-23. -23. (canceled)

25-31. -31. (canceled)

33-38. -38. (canceled)

41-45. -45. (canceled)

47-69. -69. (canceled)

70. A method of making a nanostencil comprising:

a. coating a carrier wafer with a ceramic material to provide a first ceramic layer and a second ceramic layer;

b. cleaning the ceramic layers with an organic solvent;

c. applying a photoresist coating to the first ceramic layer;

d. defining a first aperture using photolithography;

e. etching the first ceramic layer to produce a first aperture in the first ceramic layer;

f. etching the carrier to extend the first aperture through the carrier wafer to the second ceramic layer;

g. applying an e-beam resist to the second ceramic layer;

h. applying an electron beam to the e-beam resist on the second ceramic layer to create a predefined pattern of nanoapertures in the e-beam resist;

i. developing the e-beam resist; and

j. etching the predefined pattern of nanoapertures through the second ceramic layer.

71. The method according to claim 70, wherein the carrier wafer is a silicon wafer and the ceramic layers are Si_yN_x materials.

72. The method according to claim 70, wherein the second ceramic layer is a low pressure chemical vapor deposition silicon nitride film.

73. (canceled)

74. (canceled)

75. (canceled)

76. A method of depositing a nanostructure on a support comprising:

i. preparing a nanostencil having a predefined pattern of one or more nanoapertures corresponding to a desired pattern;

b. placing the nanostencil membrane in contact with the support;

c. depositing the material on the support through the nanostencil membrane; and

d. removing the nanostencil from contact with the support to leave the nanostructure.

83. The method according to claim 76, further comprising:

a. cleaning the nanostencil membrane;

b. placing the nanostencil membrane in contact with a second support;

c. depositing the material on the second support through the nanostencil membrane; and

d. removing the mask from contact with the second support to leave the nanostructure.

77-82. -82. (canceled)

84-122. -122. (canceled)