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Flow-assisted Dielectrophoresis: A Low Cost Method for the Fabrication of High Performance Solution-processable Nanowire Devices
Published on: December 7, 2017
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Single nanowire manipulation within dielectrophoretic force fields in the sub-crossover frequency regime
N K R Palapati1, E Pomerantseva, A Subramanian
1Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA. asubramanian@vcu.edu.
Nanoscale
|January 23, 2015
Summary
This study explores dielectrophoretic (DEP) force fields for nanowire (NW) manipulation. Operating at sub-crossover frequencies enables precise control over NW assembly in colloidal suspensions.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Materials Science
- Physics
Background:
- Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is crucial for manipulating micro- and nanoscale objects.
- Understanding the electrokinetic influence of DEP fields on nanowires (NWs) is key for targeted assembly.
- Previous research has not fully explored the sub-crossover frequency regime for NW manipulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively define the relationship between DEP control parameters and the electrokinetic region of influence on individual NWs.
- To investigate the potential of sub-crossover frequencies for single NW manipulation and assembly.
- To develop a novel method for estimating NW suspension concentration from deposition yield data.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing dielectrophoretic (DEP) force fields with controlled parameters.
- Employing computational models informed by experimentally extracted NW properties (conductivity, permittivity).
- Demonstrating results with alpha-phase manganese dioxide (α-MnO2) nanowires (NWs).
Main Results:
- Sub-crossover frequencies offer a previously unexplored regime for NW manipulation and assembly.
- Low-magnitude DEP forces at these frequencies (8 orders of magnitude smaller than near-DC) enable controllable electrokinetic influence.
- A new method for estimating NW suspension concentration from deposition yields was developed.
Conclusions:
- Sub-crossover frequencies represent a promising, efficient regime for precise nanowire manipulation and assembly.
- Computational models, validated by experimental data, effectively explain DEP performance regimes.
- The study provides a new approach for characterizing nanowire suspension concentrations.
