Simple and fast method to fabricate single-nanoparticle-terminated atomic force microscope tips

Abstract

This paper introduces a simple, yet controllable scheme to pick up a single 13 nm Au nanoparticle (Au-NP) using the tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM) probe through the application of electrical biases between the tip and the Au-NP. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images were acquired to verify that a single Au-NP was attached to the AFM probe. We postulate that the mechanism underlying the ability to manipulate individual Au-NPs at the apex of the AFM probe tip is Coulomb interaction induced by tip bias. The AFM tip with the attached Au-NP was then used to study the interaction between a single quantum dot (QD) and the Au-NP. The blinking behavior of single colloidal CdSe/ZnS core/shell QD was significantly suppressed with the approach of the 13 nm Au-NP attached to the AFM tip. © 2013 American Chemical Society.