Three-dimensional structures and methods of fabricating the same using a printing plate

Abstract

Methods of fabricating three-dimensional structures comprise: contacting a printing plate face with a suspension comprising particles to arrange the particles at predefined positions on the printing plate face, the predefined positions comprising a first position laterally adjacent to a second position; positioning the printing plate with the printing plate face turned toward a substrate and the first position aligned to a protrusion on the substrate; contacting the protrusion with a first layer of particles disposed at the first position of the printing plate to transfer the first layer of particles to a protrusion surface; moving the printing plate laterally to align the second position to the protrusion; and contacting the first layer of particles disposed on the protrusion surface with a second layer of particles disposed at the second position of the printing plate to transfer the second layer of particles to on top of the first layer of particles.

1 . A three-dimensional structure formed by a method, comprising:
 contacting a face of a printing plate with a suspension comprising particles to arrange the particles at predefined positions on the face of the printing plate, wherein the predefined positions comprise a first position laterally adjacent to a second position;   positioning the printing plate with the face of the printing plate turned toward a substrate and the first position aligned to a protrusion on the substrate;   contacting the protrusion with a first layer of particles disposed at the first position of the printing plate to transfer the first layer of particles to a surface of the protrusion;   moving the printing plate laterally to align the second position to the protrusion; and   contacting the first layer of particles disposed on the surface of the protrusion with a second layer of particles disposed at the second position of the printing plate to transfer the second layer of particles to on top of the first layer of particles.   
     
     
         2 . A topography comprising a three-dimensional structure, the topography comprising:
 a first protrusion laterally spaced from a second protrusion upon a substrate; and   nanoparticles stacked upon the first and second protrusions to form a three-dimensional shape on each protrusion.   
     
     
         3 . The topography of  claim 2 , wherein the nanoparticles have a grain size dimension of less than or equal to about 100 nanometers. 
     
     
         4 . The topography of  claim 2 , wherein the nanoparticles comprise a conductive material and the protrusions are electrodes formed upon a semiconductor substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The topography of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second protrusions comprise a conductive material, a semiconductor material, a polymer, a metal oxide, a semiconductor oxide, a nitride, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing. 
     
     
         6 . The topography of  claim 2 , wherein the nanoparticles are substantially cube shaped, spherical shaped, rod shaped, or wire shaped. 
     
     
         7 . The topography of  claim 2 , wherein the nanoparticles comprise a conductive material, a polymer, a conductive material functionalized with an inorganic ion, a protein, an enzyme, a nucleic acid, a vitamin, an antibody, a steroid, a hormone, or an aminoacid, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing. 
     
     
         8 . The topography of  claim 2 , wherein the three-dimensional shape comprises a pyramid, a cube, a rectangular solid, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing. 
     
     
         9 . The topography of  claim 2 , wherein the nanoparticles disposed in one layer of the three-dimensional shape are different in composition from the nanoparticles disposed in another layer of the three-dimensional shape.