Nanostructure having metal nanoparticles and method of assembly thereof

Abstract

A nanostructure and method for assembly thereof are disclosed. An exemplary nanostructure includes a photocatalytic nanoparticle; a first tier of metal nanoparticles, each metal nanoparticle of the first tier being linked about the photocatalytic nanoparticle; and a second tier of metal nanoparticles, each metal nanoparticle of the second tier being linked to one of the metal nanoparticles of the first tier and located a distance from the photocatalytic nanoparticle greater than a distance between a metal nanoparticle of the first tier and the photocatalytic nanoparticle.

1 . A nanostructure comprising:
 a photocatalytic nanoparticle;   a first tier of metal nanoparticles, each metal nanoparticle of the first tier being linked about the photocatalytic nanoparticle; and   a second tier of metal nanoparticles, each metal nanoparticle of the second tier being linked to one of the metal nanoparticles of the first tier and located a distance from the photocatalytic nanoparticle greater than a distance between a metal nanoparticle of the first tier and the photocatalytic nanoparticle.   
   
   
       2 . The nanostructure according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 at least one first linker attached to the photocatalytic nanoparticle;   a second linker attached to each metal nanoparticle of the first tier;   a third linker attached to each metal nanoparticle of the first tier; and   a fourth linker attached to second metal nanoparticles of the second tier, wherein like ones of the first through fourth linkers do not attach to one another.   
   
   
       3 . The nanostructure according to  claim 1 , wherein the photocatalytic nanoparticle is semiconductor material. 
   
   
       4 . The nanostructure according to  claim 3 , wherein the photocatalytic nanoparticle is a quantum dot. 
   
   
       5 . The nanostructure according to  claim 3 , wherein the semiconductor material comprises a heterojunction. 
   
   
       6 . The nanostructure according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal nanoparticles are one of gold, silver, aluminum, copper, titanium, and chromium. 
   
   
       7 . The nanostructure according to  claim 1 , wherein the nanostructure is located in a dielectric medium. 
   
   
       8 . The nanostructure according  claim 7 , wherein the medium shifts the resonant wavelength of the nanostructure. 
   
   
       9 . The nanostructure according to  claim 7 , wherein the dielectric constant of the dielectric medium is adjustable. 
   
   
       10 . The nanostructure according to  claim 1 , wherein metal nanoparticles of the first and second tiers are coated with a material having a dielectric constant different from a dielectric constant of the metal nanoparticles. 
   
   
       11 . The nanostructure according to  claim 2  where the first through fourth linkers are alkane linkers. 
   
   
       12 . The nanostructure according to  claim 2  where the first through fourth linkers are polyethylene glycol (PEG) linkers. 
   
   
       13 . The nanostructure according to  claim 1 , wherein the size of metal nanoparticles of the first group is different from the size of the metal nanoparticles of the second tier. 
   
   
       14 . The nanostructure according to  claim 13 , wherein metal nanoparticles of the second tier are larger than metal nanoparticles of the first tier. 
   
   
       15 . A method for assembling a nanostructure, comprising:
 attaching a first linker to a photocatalytic nanoparticle;   attaching a second linker about a first metal nanoparticle;   attaching the first metal nanoparticle about the photocatalytic nanoparticle by connecting the first linker and the second linker;   attaching a third linker to the first metal nanoparticle;   attaching a fourth linker to a second metal nanoparticle; and   attaching the second metal nanoparticle to the first metal nanoparticle by connecting the third linker and the fourth linker.   
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein like ones of the first through fourth linkers do not attach to one another. 
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the metal nanoparticles are one of gold, silver, aluminum, copper, titanium, and chromium. 
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth linkers are each of a same length. 
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the first and third linkers have one end terminating in a carboxylic acid group. 
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the second and fourth linkers have one end terminating in an amine group.