Patterned colloidal deposition controlled by electrostatic and capillary forces.

Abstract

We use substrates chemically micropatterned with anionic and cationic regions to govern the deposition of charged colloidal particles. The direct observation of the colloidal assembly suggests that this process includes two steps: an initial patterned attachment of colloids to the substrate and an additional ordering of the structure upon drying. The driving forces of the process, i.e. , screened electrostatic and lateral capillary interactions, are discussed. This approach makes it possible to fabricate complex, high-resolution two-dimensional arrays of colloidal particles.