Electroless Nanoparticle Film Deposition Compatible with Photolithography, Microcontact Printing, and Dip-Pen Nanolithography Patterning Technologies

Nanoparticles of Au, Pd, and Pt form spontaneously as thin, morphologically complex metallic films upon various semiconducting or metal substrates such as Ge(100), Cu, Zn, and Sn, via galvanic displacement from aqueous metal salt solutions. Patterning of these high surface area metal films into ordered structures utilizing photolithography, microcontact printing (μ-CP), and dip-pen nanolithography (DPN) is demonstrated on flat Ge(100), and (for μ-CP) on rough Zn foil.