New technique developed by Brookhaven Lab scientists rapidly
creates multi-layered, self-assembled grids with fully customizable shapes and
compositions
(June 23, 2015) Down
at the nanoscale, where objects span just billionths of a meter, the size and
shape of a material can often have surprising and powerful electronic and
optical effects. Building larger materials that retain subtle nanoscale
features is an ongoing challenge that shapes countless emerging technologies.
Now, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's
Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a new technique to rapidly create
nano-structured grids for functional materials with unprecedented versatility.
"We can fabricate multi-layer grids composed of
different materials in virtually any geometric configuration," said study
coauthor and Brookhaven Lab scientist Kevin Yager. "By quickly and
independently controlling the nanoscale structure and the composition, we can
tailor the performance of these materials. Crucially, the process can be easily
adapted for large-scale applications."