title: Wedging transfer of nanostructures.
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.
authors.affiliation: Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Lorentzweg 1, Delft, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Grégory F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Victor E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Calado
authors.forename: Henny
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zandbergen
authors.forename: Lieven M K
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Vandersypen
authors.forename: Cees
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dekker
mesh_terms: D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D010316:Particle Size; D013499:Surface Properties; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D014867:Water