title: Photoionization of nanosized aerosol gold agglomerates and their deposition to form nanoscale islands on substrates.
abstract: Positively charged gold nanoparticles can be produced in the aerosol state by ultraviolet irradiation of aerosols at wavelengths above the gold ionization energy. Spark-discharge-generated aerosol gold nanoparticles were mobility-classified, neutralized, and then exposed to ultraviolet irradiation at 185 nm. The charge states were determined using a tandem differential mobility analyzer system, and the results revealed that there was no significant dependence of charging probability upon mobility diameter between 4 and 60 nm (1.55 ± 0.26 in positive elementary charge), probably because of the agglomerated nature of the particles. The ionized particles could be deposited to form nanoscale island patterns on a substrate without the use of templates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Purdue University , West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States.
authors.forename: Jeong Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Byeon
authors.forename: Jeffrey T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Roberts