Synthesis and structure of large single crystalline silver hexagonal microplates suitable for micromachining

• Published in: Materials chemistry and physics Vol. 143; no. 2; pp. 642 - 646
• Main Authors: Lyutov, Dimitar L., Genkov, Kaloyan V., Zyapkov, Anton D., Tsutsumanova, Gichka G., Tzonev, Atanas N., Lyutov, Lyudmil G., Russev, Stoyan C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15.01.2014
• Subjects: Chemical synthesis; Crystal structure; Electronic materials; Nanostructures; Electronic materials; Nanostructures; Chemical synthesis; Crystal structure
• ISSN: 0254-0584; 1879-3312
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matchemphys.2013.09.047

We report a simple one-step synthesis method of large single crystalline Ag (111) hexagonal microplates with sharp edges and a size of up to tens of microns. Single silver crystals were produced by reduction silver nitrate aqueous solution with 4-(methylamino)phenol sulfate. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, selected area electron diffraction and optical microscopy techniques were combined to characterize the crystals. It is shown that the microplates can be easily dispersed and transferred as single objects onto different substrates and subsequently used as a high quality plasmonic starting material for micromachining of future nanocomponents, using modern top-down techniques like focused-ion beam milling and gas injection deposition. •Synthesis of large Ag hexagonal microplates with high crystallinity.•It is shown and discussed the role of twinning for the anisotropic 2D growth.•The Ag plates are stable in water and can be dispersed onto different substrates.•Their positioning and subsequent micromachining with FIB/GIS is demonstrated.•Suitable starting material for future plasmonic nanocomponents.