Patterning and fluorescence tuning of quantum dots with haptic-interfaced bubble printing

Abstract

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are attractive for a wide range of applications such as displays, light-emitting devices, and sensors due to their properties such as tunable fluorescence wavelength, high brightness, and narrow bandwidth. Most of the applications require precise patterning of QDs with targeted properties on solid-state substrates. Herein, we have developed a haptic-interfaced bubble printing (HIBP) technique to enable high-resolution (510 nm) high-throughput (>104 μm s−1) patterning of QDs with strong emission tunability and to significantly enhance the accessibility of the technique via a smartphone device. The scalability and versatility of the HIBP are demonstrated in our arbitrary patterning of QDs on plasmonic substrates. A detailed study of plasmonic and photothermal interactions is performed via programmed stage movements to realize tunability of the emission wavelength and lifetime. Finally, the influence of the hand movement on the properties of the printed QDs in terms of emission wavelength tuning from yellow to blue is established. This work provides a single-step macroscale platform to manipulate nanoscale properties at high resolution and high throughput.

Optothermal Manipulations of Colloidal Particles and Living Cells

“…(h) Haptic interface for bubble printing at different downscaling factors. 35 Adapted with permission from ref 35. Copyright 2017 The Royal Society of Chemistry.…”

Laser‐Based Printing: From Liquids to Microstructures

“…Metals, polymers, organic molecules 10 mm s −1 [68] ≈510 nm [71] -50 µm [77] I) Laser modulation enables the formation of continuous patterns. [69] II) 3D hollow spherical structures covered with particles were demonstrated.…”

“…manner of material fixation to the substrate, which makes it appealing for the assembly of a wide range of materials. It was referred to in the literature by many names: bubble printing, [32,68] laser-induced microbubble technique (LIMBT), [69,70] hapticinterfaced bubble printing, [71] bubble pen lithography, [72] laserinduced micro-nano bubble, [73] continuous-wave laser-induced vapor bubble, [74] optothermally generated surface bubble, [75,76] thermo-optically manipulated laser-induced microbubbles, [77,78] and optothermal-surface bubble-assisted printing. [79] Mechanism: Thermal heating arises from a CW laser beam that is absorbed by the preformed dispersed particles or a light absorbing substrate.…”

Sensitivity‐Enhancing Strategies in Optical Biosensing

“…[ 93–95 ] Along with surface assembly of microbes, synthetic particles, and molecules, small‐molecule sensing has been reported based on this phenomenon. [ 96–105 ] However, a high working temperature required to vaporize water has prevented the optothermally generated microbubbles from being applied to sensing proteins, whose activity is subject to thermal denaturation. [ 95,106 ] Kim et al.…”

“…[93][94][95] Along with surface assembly of microbes, synthetic particles, and molecules, small-molecule sensing has been reported based on this phenomenon. [96][97][98][99][100][101][102][103][104][105] However, a high working temperature required to vaporize water has prevented the optothermally generated microbubbles from being applied to sensing proteins, whose activity is subject to thermal denaturation. [95,106] Kim et al reported a biphasic liquid system wherein volatile, water-immiscible perfluoropentane (PFP) was emulsified into an aqueous medium as a bubble-generating liquid (Figure 5e).…”