Controlled placement of CdSe nanoparticles in diblock copolymer templates by electrophoretic deposition

An electrophoretic deposition process is shown to be an effective means of placing CdSe nanoparticles into nanopores and nanotrenches in templates prepared from polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) diblock copolymers. CdSe nanoparticles covered with alpha,omega-thiocarboxylic acid ligands were used in these studies, and an electric field was used to drive the nanoparticle deposition. Photoluminescence of the quantum dots was maintained within the nanostructures.