Center for Nanoscale Materials and Biointegration (CNMB), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, 35294-1170, USA. Department of Physics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, 35294-1170, USA.
Nanotechnology. 2014 Jan 31;25(4):045302. doi: 10.1088/0957-4484/25/4/045302. Epub 2014 Jan 6.
We demonstrate a novel approach to precisely pattern fluorescent nanodiamond-arrays with enhanced far-red intense photostable luminescence from silicon-vacancy (Si-V) defect centers. The precision-patterned pre-growth seeding of nanodiamonds is achieved by a scanning probe 'dip-pen' nanolithography technique using electrostatically driven transfer of nanodiamonds from 'inked' cantilevers to a UV-treated hydrophilic SiO2 substrate. The enhanced emission from nanodiamond dots in the far-red is achieved by incorporating Si-V defect centers in a subsequent chemical vapor deposition treatment. The development of a suitable nanodiamond ink and mechanism of ink transport, and the effect of humidity and dwell time on nanodiamond patterning are investigated. The precision patterning of as-printed (pre-CVD) arrays with dot diameter and dot height as small as 735 nm ± 27 nm and 61 nm ± 3 nm, respectively, and CVD-treated fluorescent ND-arrays with consistently patterned dots having diameter and height as small as 820 nm ± 20 nm and, 245 nm ± 23 nm, respectively, using 1 s dwell time and 30% RH is successfully achieved. We anticipate that the far-red intense photostable luminescence (~738 nm) observed from Si-V defect centers integrated in spatially arranged nanodiamonds could be beneficial for the development of next generation fluorescence-based devices and applications.
我们展示了一种新颖的方法，可以精确地对荧光纳米金刚石阵列进行图案化处理，从而增强来自硅空位（Si-V）缺陷中心的远红强烈稳定的光致发光。通过使用静电驱动的扫描探针“蘸笔”纳米光刻技术，从“上墨”悬臂到经 UV 处理的亲水 SiO2 衬底，实现了纳米金刚石的预生长精确图案化种子转移。通过在后续的化学气相沉积处理中掺入 Si-V 缺陷中心，可以实现远红处纳米金刚石点的增强发射。我们研究了合适的纳米金刚石墨水的开发和墨水传输机制，以及湿度和停留时间对纳米金刚石图案化的影响。成功地实现了具有直径和高度分别为 735nm±27nm 和 61nm±3nm 的打印（预 CVD）阵列的精密图案化，以及使用 1s 停留时间和 30%相对湿度，具有直径和高度分别为 820nm±20nm 和 245nm±23nm 的 CVD 处理荧光 ND 阵列的一致图案化点。我们预计，集成在空间排列的纳米金刚石中的 Si-V 缺陷中心所观察到的远红强烈稳定的光致发光（~738nm）可能有益于下一代基于荧光的器件和应用的发展。
