Positioning of cationic silver nanoparticle by using AFM lithography and electrostatic interaction

One-dimensional metal lines of silver nanoparticles with a nano-sized width were generated onto silicon surface by using a nano-level lithography technique, field induced oxidation (FIO) by AFM, on self-assembled monolayer-modified Si wafers. This FIO technique provided SiO2 lines a width of less than 100 nm. Short-time immersion of partially anodized silicon surface which is covered by a cationic silanol surfactant ((CH3O)3SiCH2CH2CH2N(CH3)3+Cl−)-monolayer into quaternary ammonium (HSCH2CH2N(CH3)3+Br−)-covered silver nanoparticles readily and reproducibly gave nano-metal lines of silver onto silicon wafers. Hydrophilicity of the whole wafer surface was indispensable for homogeneously wetting the anodized SiO2 area with a nanodimensional width.