Nanomaterials synthesis by a novel phenomenon: The nanoscale Rayleigh-Taylor instability

Abstract

The Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) interfacial instability has been attributed to physical phenomenon in a wide variety of macroscopic systems, including black holes, laser generated plasmas, and thick fluids. However, evidence for its existence in the nanoscale is lacking. Here we first show theoretically that this instability can occur in films with thickness negligible compared to the capillary length when they are heated rapidly inside a bulk fluid. Pressure gradients developed in the evaporated fluid region produce large forces causing the instability. Experiments were performed by melting Au films inside glycerol fluid by nanosecond laser pulses. The ensuing nanoparticles had highly monomodal size distributions. Importantly, the spacing of the nanoparticles was independent of the film thickness and could be tuned by the magnitude of the pressure gradients. Therefore, this instability can overcome some of the limitations of conventional thin self-organization techniques that rely on film thickness to control length scales.

Nanostructuration of Thin Metal Films by Pulsed Laser Irradiations: A Review

“…Figure 64 summarizes some outlooks for the pulsed-laser use in nanostructuration. In this sense, the use of interfering lasers [31,61] of the pulsed-laser processing of metal films in liquids exploiting the Rayleigh-Taylor phenomenon [144,145] and the pulsed-laser processing of multielement (as alloyed) films or multilayered metallic films [146,147,148,149] will be the key approaches. In particular, in this last case, alloyed and multi-elemental nanostructures can be produced with innovative properties arising from the synergistic combination of the properties of the metallic components.…”

Laser-Induced Self-Assembled Nanostructures on Electron-Transparent Substrates

“…[ 13,14,18 ] In addition, the technique can potentially be benefi ted by the recent advancements in PLDew under liquids where even smaller NSs ≈10 nm are synthesized. [ 21 ] These results collectively conveyed that the proposed synthesis route is able to produce Ag NSs with a monomodal size distribution and wide range of NS diameters over a reasonably large area (≈3 mm). (Figure 3 a), elliptical-shaped NSs following 50 pulses (Figure 3 b), and fi nally, hemispherical-shaped NSs after 100 pulses (Figure 3 c).…”

“…However, it principally can duplicate any NS size ranges reported on inert SiO 2 substrate; i.e., 20–200 nm for single metallic NSs and 25–350 nm for bimetallic NSs . In addition, the technique can potentially be benefited by the recent advancements in PLDew under liquids where even smaller NSs ≈10 nm are synthesized . These results collectively conveyed that the proposed synthesis route is able to produce Ag NSs with a monomodal size distribution and wide range of NS diameters over a reasonably large area (≈3 mm).…”

Symbiosis in Plasmonic Nanoparticles

“…Symbiosis in Plasmonic Nanoparticles http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.71730 related research requiring energy hotspots. Recently, Yadavali and Kalyanaraman reported that the particle spacing of the nanoparticles can be independent of the initial film thickness which is not the case in classical spinodal dewetting by creating Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities at the metal film surface in contact with liquid creating large pressure gradients due to evaporation [14].…”