Modeling Particle Transport in Lithographically-Directed, Evaporation-Driven Self-Assembly Systems

Published

January 1, 2007

Author(s)

John Dyreby, K Turner, G Nellis, James Alexander Liddle

Abstract

Topographically directed, evaporation driven self-assembly (EDSA) of nanoparticles is a promising manufacturing technique that combines the control of top-down lithography with the speed of bottom-up self-assembly. , We have developed a modeling methodology, using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), for simulating the global regime of directed EDSA. The global regime considers the macro-scale distribution of the particles in the colloidal solution. The distribution is determined by the forces exerted on the particles due to the fluid motion, which is driven by evaporation and influenced by pinning of the contact line by lithographically defined surface features.We have simulated the evaporation-driven flows generated within a volume of fluid that is changing in size under various pinning conditions. The shape of the fluid volume is determined from free surface simulations using energy minimization techniques. We have used this methodology to predict the evolution of the particle concentration distribution and to provide useful information about the time scales required to generate a sufficient concentration of nanoparticles near a pinning feature so that self-assembly will occur. The model is one part of a hierarchical set of multi-level engineering models that can be used to study the details of directed self-assembly processes.

Proceedings Title

Proceeding of the 51st International Conference on Electron, Ion, and Photon Beam Technology & Nanofabrication

Conference Dates

May 29-June 1, 2007

Conference Location

Denver, CO, US

Conference Title

51st International Conference on Electron, Ion, and Photon Beam Technology & Nanofabrication

Pub Type

Conferences

Keywords

ELECTRON

Citation

Dyreby, J. , Turner, K. , Nellis, G. and Liddle, J. (2007), Modeling Particle Transport in Lithographically-Directed, Evaporation-Driven Self-Assembly Systems, Proceeding of the 51st International Conference on Electron, Ion, and Photon Beam Technology & Nanofabrication, Denver, CO, US (Accessed October 14, 2025)