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Structural insight into nano-objects down to the atomic scale is one of the most important prerequisites in understanding functional materials properties and will ultimately permit to relate the size and shape of nanoparticles to their catalytic activity. We elucidate the potential of extracting structural information about a small ensemble of nanoparticles semi-regularly arranged on a periodic array from coherent X-ray Bragg diffraction. The observed superstructure in the Pt(111) Bragg peak obviously originates from the mutual interference of the Bragg scattered wave field from individual nanoparticles in the nano-array. Despite the absence of a symmetry center in the Bragg peak of the nano-array, we identify the most prominent in-plane spatial frequencies of the latter by applying a Patterson map analysis to the Bragg peak superstructure. Integration along the out-of-plane reciprocal space direction over the relevant in-plane regions of interest results in Laue oscillations that arise from nanoparticle sets of similar heights in real space. A one-to-one comparison with real-space microscopic information obtained from SEM and AFM suggests potential nanoparticle subsets as origin for the X-ray intensity in these regions of interest by the good agreement in their height and direction-dependent in-plane interparticle distances, as also further supported by simulations. Nanoparticle arrays with well-defined tunable sizes and lateral distances may serve in the future to track structural changes of smallest catalysis-relevant nanoparticles during operando heterogeneous catalysis experiments in the 10 nm size regime.

In this work, we propose an innovative approach to the fabrication of a complete micro/nano fluidic system, based on direct nanoimprint lithography. The fabricated device consists of nanochannels connected to U-shaped microchannels by triangular tapered inlets, and has four large reservoirs for liquid input. A master silicon stamp with the multilevel structures is fabricated first, and then a negative replica is made, to be used as a stamp for ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL). Afterwards, just one single UV-NIL step is necessary for patterning all the the micro and nanostructures. Furthermore, the devices are made of all-transparent materials, and the method allows flexibility for the type of substrates used. The active material (an inorganic-organic hybrid polymer) used for the fabrication of the device has been carefully chosen, so it has adequate surface properties (inert and hydrophilic) for its direct use for biological applications. Devices having 30 nm wide, 30 nm deep nanochannels have been fabricated, and the successful performance of the fluidic system and the continuity of the nanochannels have been proven by flow tests. © 2011 American Vacuum Society.

In this work, we propose an innovative approach to the fabrication of a complete micro/nano fluidic system, based on direct nanoimprint lithography. The fabricated device consists of nanochannels connected to U-shaped microchannels by triangular tapered inlets, and has four large reservoirs for liquid input. A master silicon stamp with the multilevel structures is fabricated first, and then a negative replica is made, to be used as a stamp for ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL). Afterwards, just one single UV-NIL step is necessary for patterning all the the micro and nanostructures. Furthermore, the devices are made of all-transparent materials, and the method allows flexibility for the type of substrates used. The active material (an inorganic-organic hybrid polymer) used for the fabrication of the device has been carefully chosen, so it has adequate surface properties (inert and hydrophilic) for its direct use for biological applications. Devices having 30 nm wide, 30 nm deep nanochannels have been fabricated, and the successful performance of the fluidic system and the continuity of the nanochannels have been proven by flow tests. © 2011 American Vacuum Society.

Propagation of channel plasmon-polariton modes in the bottom of a metal V groove has been recently demonstrated. It provides a unique way of manipulating light at nanometer length scale. In this work, we present a method based on nanoimprint lithography that allows parallel fabrication of integrated optical devices composed of metal V grooves. This method represents an improvement with respect to previous works, where the V grooves were fabricated by direct milling of the metal, in terms of robustness and throughput. © 2007 American Vacuum Society

The objective of this benchmarking is to establish a comparison of several tools and processes used in thermal NIL with Si stamps at the nanoscale among the authors' laboratories. The Si stamps have large arrays of 50 nm dense lines and were imprinted in all these laboratories in a similar to 100 nm thick mr-18010E film. Other materials, such as mr-17010E, were also tested. Good patterns were obtained and some limitations were identified. Reducing the pressure to 15 bars enables the printing of 50 nm structures without pulling them off. At higher pressures, some bending effects resulting in pattern deformation were observed. It was proven that a pressure of 1.5 bars is sufficient to imprint perfect 50 nm lines. The influence of the antiadhesive layer and mold design has been characterized by the demonstration of pulled off lines in some cases. Moreover, it has been shown that the scatterometry method is particularly useful for the characterization of 50 nm lines and that the residual layer thickness corresponds to the theoretical estimate as long as the lines are well defined. One process was demonstrated which combines high reproducibility with high throughput, achieving a cycle time of 2 min.

Propagation of channel plasmon-polariton modes in the bottom of a metal V groove has been recently demonstrated. It provides a unique way of manipulating light at nanometer length scale. In this work, we present a method based on nanoimprint lithography that allows parallel fabrication of integrated optical devices composed of metal V grooves. This method represents an improvement with respect to previous works, where the V grooves were fabricated by direct milling of the metal, in terms of robustness and throughput. © 2007 American Vacuum Society

The objective of this benchmarking is to establish a comparison of several tools and processes used in thermal NIL with Si stamps at the nanoscale among the authors' laboratories. The Si stamps have large arrays of 50 nm dense lines and were imprinted in all these laboratories in a similar to 100 nm thick mr-18010E film. Other materials, such as mr-17010E, were also tested. Good patterns were obtained and some limitations were identified. Reducing the pressure to 15 bars enables the printing of 50 nm structures without pulling them off. At higher pressures, some bending effects resulting in pattern deformation were observed. It was proven that a pressure of 1.5 bars is sufficient to imprint perfect 50 nm lines. The influence of the antiadhesive layer and mold design has been characterized by the demonstration of pulled off lines in some cases. Moreover, it has been shown that the scatterometry method is particularly useful for the characterization of 50 nm lines and that the residual layer thickness corresponds to the theoretical estimate as long as the lines are well defined. One process was demonstrated which combines high reproducibility with high throughput, achieving a cycle time of 2 min.