Large 2D self-assembled domains of cobalt nanoparticles onto silicon wafers

Abstract

We report on self-assembly processes of cobalt nanoparticles onto silicon wafers by using drop casting and spin coating techniques. It has been found that self-assembled patterns markedly depend on the substrate temperature. These changes in behaviour are explained in terms of evaporation time, thermal energy, and van der Waals interactions. We demonstrate here that under suitable conditions of temperature and colloid volume, monolayers of magnetic nanoparticles can be simply formed with long range ordered nanoparticles on monolayers of several microns area onto the used substrate.