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Spontaneous patterning of quantum dots at the air-water interface
R P Sear1, S W Chung, G Markovich
1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at Los Angeles, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1569, USA.
Abstract:
Nanoparticles deposited at the air-water interface are observed to form circular domains at low density and stripes at higher density. We interpret these patterns as equilibrium phenomena produced by a competition between an attraction and a longer-ranged repulsion. Computer simulations of a generic pair potential with attractive and repulsive parts of this kind, reproduce both the circular and stripe patterns. Such patterns have a potential use in nanoelectronic applications.