Fabrication and evaluation of two-dimensional nanostructures

Nanomaterials exhibit uniquely different properties compared to their bulk counterparts. These properties are size-dependent, making it possible to engineer the material properties not only by defining the chemical composition but also by adjusting the structure. Therefore, the ability to control the structure of matter at the nanoscale provides possibilities to engineer materials with tailored behavior and properties. The work presented in this dissertation aims to develop and advance combined fabrication strategies based on both top-down and bottom-up approaches in two distinct areas: structuring nanocomposite thin films and the formation of particle arrays. The first part is dedicated to structuring and surface modification of diamond-like carbon (DLC) thin films. DLC is an amorphous material with some properties that are similar to those of diamond. In this work, novel strategies based on nanoimprint lithography, nonprintable hard masks and plasma techniques enabling straightforward, high throughput patterning of both DLC and DLC films doped with silver nanoparticles (DLC: Ag) were developed. The developed patterning process was successfully employed in the fabrication of high sensitivity DLC-based optical refractive index sensors. The second part is dedicated to the development of capillary force assisted particle deposition setup and the assessment of the assembly process. Dedicated equipment which can guide the assembly and allows direct observation of the procedure was constructed and tested. The influence of process driving parameters was evaluated and quantified. The possibilities of applying such particle arrays as a security feature were explored