At their heart, these sources consist of 1–3 magnetron sputtering sources. Material generated from these passes down an extended tube where it aggregates into nanoparticles of sizes 1–20 nm. At the end of the tube, the nanoparticles are ejected through an orifice into a process chamber where they coat a supported substrate.

Applications of vacuum-deposited nanoparticle layers include:

• Life sciences and nanomedicine: Cancer Therapies, Drug delivery, Antimicrobial, Antiviral, Biofilms
• Graphene: Electronics, Energy, Composites, Sensors
• Photonics: Photovoltaics, Light harvesting, Surface enhanced Raman
• Catalysis: Fuel Cells, Photocatalysis, Electrochemistry, Water/air purification
• Sensors: Biosensors, Optical, Electrical, Electrochemical, SERS 

Image: Vacuum deposited nanoparticles.

Features of the nanoparticle sources include:

• Up to 3 different materials, including co-deposition; pure or alloy depositions
• Variable nanoparticle sizes in the range 1–20 nm
• Ultra-pure material (defined to a large extent by target purity up to 99.999%)
• Hydrocarbon free synthesis
• Wide range of materials including Au, Ag, Cu, Pt, Ir, Ni, Ti, and Zr (many more could be possible)
• Possibility to create compound nanoparticles through control of the aggregation atmosphere (similar to reactive magnetron sputtering)
• Excellent nanoparticle layer thickness control from sub-monolayer to 3D nanoporous
• Control over nanoparticle structure — amorphous through to highly crystalline

Vacuum-deposited nanoparticle sources are now available as part of our MiniLab range. They can be installed as a lone technique or combined with others to form a multi-capability tool.