| We developed a universal, facile and robust method to prepare free-standing, ordered and patternable nanoparticle/polymer monolayer arrays by evaporation-induced self-assembly at a fluid interface. The ultra-thin monolayer nanoparticle/polymer arrays are sufficiently robust that they can be transferred to arbitrary substrates, even with complex topographies. More importantly, the Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) in the system serves as a photoresist enabling two modes of electron beam (e-beam) nanoparticle patterning. These ultra-thin films of monolayer nanoparticle arrays are of fundamental interest as 2D artificial solids for electronic, magnetic and optical properties and are also of technological interest for a diverse range of applications in micro- and macro-scale devices including photovoltaics, sensors, catalysis, and magnetic storage. By co-assembly with block co-polymers, the nanoparticles were selectively positioned in one specific phase, representing a high throughput route for creating nanoparticle patterns. The self-assembly process was investigated by combined in-situ grazing incidence small angle x-ray scattering (GISAXS) and numerical simulation. By e-beam irradiation of free-standing 2D NP/polymer arrays, anisotropic nanowire arrays have been fabricated. Additionally, preliminary investigation on assembly of binary nanoparticle arrays has also been introduced, serving as promising future directions of interfacial assembly.;Controlling the rate of spontaneous emission and thus promoting the photon generation efficiency is a key step toward fabrication of Quantum dot based single-photon sources, and harnessing of light energy from emitters with a broad emitting spectrum. Coupling of photo emitters to photonic cavities without perturbing the optical performance of cavities remains as a challenge in study of Purcell effect based on quantum electrodynamics.;Taking advantage of interfacial assembly and transfer, we have achieved controlled deposition of quantum dots into high Q photonic microcavities and studied the modification of their optical properties. Anomalous enhanced spontaneous emission and Fabry-Perot resonance have been observed. |
