title: Fabrication of periodic arrays of metallic nanoparticles by block copolymer templates on HfO2 substrates.
abstract: Block copolymer-based templates can be exploited for the fabrication of ordered arrays of metal nanoparticles (NPs) with a diameter down to a few nanometers. In order to develop this technique on metal oxide substrates, we studied the self-assembly of polymeric templates directly on the HfO₂ surface. Using a random copolymer neutralization layer, we obtained an effective HfO₂ surface neutralization, while the effects of surface cleaning and annealing temperature were carefully examined. Varying the block copolymer molecular weight, we produced regular nanoporous templates with feature size variable between 10 and 30 nm and a density up to 1.5 × 10¹¹ cm⁻². With the adoption of a pattern transfer process, we produced ordered arrays of Pt and Pt/Ti NPs with diameters of 12, 21 and 29 nm and a constant size dispersion (σ) of 2.5 nm. For the smallest template adopted, the NP diameter is significantly lower than the original template dimension. In this specific configuration, the granularity of the deposited film probably influences the pattern transfer process and very small NPs of 12 nm were achieved without a significant broadening of the size distribution.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio MDM, IMM-CNR, Via C. Olivetti 2, I-20864 Agrate Brianza (MB), Italy. NanoFacility, Divisione elettromagnetismo, INRiM, Strada delle Cacce 91, I-10135 Torino, Italy. Dipartimento di fisica, Università degli studi di Milano, Via Celoria 16, I-20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Jacopo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frascaroli
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Seguini
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spiga
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perego
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boarino