How to make microscale pores on a self-assembled Ag nanoparticle monolayer

In this short communication, we report a procedure for the fabrication of microscale pores on a rigid self-assembled Ag nanoparticle monolayer with nanothickness. Here, condensed water droplets on a hydrophobic substrate are used as a pore formation template for Langmuir-Schaefer film deposition. The optical properties of the Ag nanoparticle monolayer were influenced by the porous structure, e.g., the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) peak was weakened and broadened for the porous monolayer compared with the homogeneous monolayer, even though the number of particles on the substrate should be the same between them. The pores obtained by this method were robust and could be used as a mask for metal deposition or local fluorescence imaging. This environmentally friendly technique can provide a micropatterned surface with a minimal cytotoxicity, which has high potential for LSPR mediated biosensing and bioimaging applications.