Accurate control of individual metallic nanowires by light-induced dielectrophoresis: Size-based separation and array-spacing regulation

• Published in: Sensors and actuators. A. Physical. Vol. 225; pp. 139 - 147
• Main Authors: Chen, Ke, Quan, Yunlin, Song, Chunfeng, Xiang, Nan, Jiang, Di, Sun, Dongke, Yang, Juekuan, Yi, Hong, Ni, Zhonghua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15.04.2015
• Subjects: Accurate-positioning; Actuators; Arrays; Assembly; Construction; Control; Eccentricity; Light-induced dielectrophoresis; Nanostructure; Nanowire-arrays; Nanowires; Separation; Size-based separation; Spacing-regulation; Spacing-regulation; Accurate-positioning; Light-induced dielectrophoresis; Nanowire-arrays; Size-based separation
• ISSN: 0924-4247; 1873-3069
• DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2014.07.025

•Nanowires, single or uniform-array, are precisely assembled by light-patterns.•Nanowires of different sizes are individually separated in real time.•The spacing-distance of arrays is automatically adjusted by regulating ac frequency. In this paper, we utilize the light-induced dielectrophoretic technique to realize the accurate control of nanowires, including positioning of single nanowires, separation of different-sized nanowires, and spacing regulation of uniform nanowire-arrays. Nanowires can exactly stabilize at the center of a regular geometric light-spot with a slight eccentricity of 2.1±0.64%. Additionally, nanowires of different lengths (∼6μm and ∼12μm) are separated individually by a light-bar with a proper traveling velocity, which is measured and selected according to an acceleration-displacement measurement method. Based on this, uniform nanowire-arrays are assembled instantly, and emerge an equidistant distribution. In reality, the array spacing-distance presents a frequency dependence, and can be automatically adjusted from 6 to 21μm for two-wire array and 7–16μm for three-wire array, respectively. The accurate positioning and orderly management of nanowires may potentially increase the efficiency of nanowire assembly, and be contributed to the nano-device building.