Self-assembly: mastering photonic processes at nanoscale

Abstract

Supramolecular ordering happens as an important parameter for the control of light emission processes. In this review paper, we discuss several examples of application of self-assembly to the realization of nano-structures designed in view of mastering specific photonic processes. This comprises the formation of highly localized plasmon modes in self-organized 2D assemblies of metal nanoparticles, the immobilization of dyes inside highly homogeneous 2D alveolar self-assembled molecular matrices and molecular 3D building blocks designed to combine in-plane periodicity and off-plane π-conjugated protrusions. Finally, we will discuss 3D self-assembly in solution with the example of fluorescent labelling of DNA.

Aerosolized Droplet Mediated Self-Assembly of Photosynthetic Pigment Analogues and Deposition onto Substrates

“…The nucleation into a self-assembled structure takes finite time after the critical saturation ratio is reached; that is, there is a delay before nucleation takes place. The delay time for nucleation (τ d ) is given by the following equation: 49 2 DNc e S(ln S) 3 (9) where v 0 is the molecular volume of dye, σ is the surface energy of the self-assembled material, γ* is the accommodation coefficient in solution, which is ∼1, k is the Boltzmann constant, T is the temperature, D is the monomer diffusion coefficient in the solvent, solvent, N is Avogadro number, c e is the equilibrium solubility, and S is the saturation ratio. At a critical saturation ratio (S*), the time delay for nucleation will be constant irrespective of the initial concentration.…”

“…Self-assembled materials are gaining in importance due to their special properties and applications in different areas such as solar cells, , photonics, , organic semiconductors, , recording media, and development of biomaterials. , Molecular self-assembly is used to synthesize new materials such as liquid crystals and semicrystalline and phase-separated polymers . Molecular self-assembly is defined as spontaneous assembly under equilibrium conditions to form stable aggregates; the process can entail formation of covalent or noncovalent bonds .…”