| Abstract
| - Site-selective assembly of 5 μm amine-functionalized glass spheres from aqueous suspensions onto gold surfacespatterned with carboxylic acid and methyl-terminated thiols has been achieved through the introduction of a variabletilt flow cell. In situ microscope imaging has been employed to study the four phases of assembly independently, andthe relative roles of electrostatic attraction and capillary emersion have been explored. In contradiction to the commonlyrecognized electrostatic assembly model, detailed theoretical analysis and experimental evidence are presented tosupport a mechanism where patterning occurs at the point of meniscus contact. Control of pattern quality is demonstratedthrough the comparison of results obtained from a variety of experiments, and the best conditions for the assemblyof monolayer features are identified. Finally, evidence for the extension of this assembly method to the productionof singlet sphere arrays is discussed.
|
