Langmuir, Vol.22, No.17, 7124-7127, 2006
Reversible pattern formation through photolysis
We report a photolytic method to induce spatial and temporal patterning/deposition of particles at the micron scale on a time scale of seconds. Reversible pattern formation by negatively charged particles occur around micron-sized silver features on different substrates when exposed to UV light in the presence of aqueous hydrogen peroxide. Diffusiophoretic motion due to a spatially defined ion gradient accounts for our observations. Atomic force and optical microscopy, as well as conductivity measurements, support this hypothesis.