We report a low-cost, high-throughput benchtop method that enables thin layers of metal to be shaped with nanoscale precision by generating ultrahigh-strain-rate deformations. Laser shock imprinting can create three-dimensional crystalline metallic structures as small as 10 nanometers with ultrasmooth surfaces at ambient conditions. This technique enables the successful fabrications of large-area, uniform nanopatterns with aspect ratios as high as 5 for plasmonic and sensing applications, as well as mechanically strengthened nanostructures and metal-graphene hybrid nanodevices.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

We synthesized ZnO-SiO2 composite opal and ZnO inverse opal by electrodeposition using SiO2-opal template and polystyrene (PS)-opal template, respectively. Compared with compact ZnO nanocrystal film also prepared by electrodeposition, ordered ZnO nanostructures exhibit more significant red-shift and broadening of the UV peak with increasing excitation power, which is due to a stronger local heating effect in ordered ZnO nanostructures. We developed a quantitative analytical method to investigate photoluminescence (PL) of ZnO based on laser heating effects. The experimental data agree well with fitting curves derived from the electron-phonon interaction model. Important parameters, such as electron-phonon coupling strength and thermal activation energy, can be obtained by fitting experimental data. The resonant Raman spectra provide further evidence that the analyses based on laser heating effects are feasible.

No abstract

Synthesis of diamond, a multi-functional material, has been a challenge due to very high activation energy for transforming graphite to diamond, and therefore, has been hindering it from being potentially exploited for novel applications. In this study, we explore a new approach, namely confined pulse laser deposition (CPLD), in which nanosecond laser ablation of graphite within a confinement layer simultaneously activates plasma and effectively confine it to create a favorable condition for nanodiamond formation from graphite. It is noteworthy that due to the local high dense confined plasma created by transparent confinement layer, nanodiamond has been formed at laser intensity as low as 3.7 GW/cm2, which corresponds to pressure of 4.4 GPa, much lower than the pressure needed to transform graphite to diamond traditionally. By manipulating the laser conditions, semi-transparent carbon films with good conductivity (several kΩ/Sq) were also obtained by this method. This technique provides a new channel, from confined plasma to solid, to deposit materials that normally need high temperature and high pressure. This technique has several important advantages to allow scalable processing, such as high speed, direct writing without catalyst, selective and flexible processing, low cost without expensive pico/femtosecond laser systems, high temperature/vacuum chambers.

Stable p -type ZnO:P nanowire/ n -type ZnO:Ga film junctions, reproducibly grown by two-step pulsed laser deposition J.