Patent ID: 9739717
Date: 2017-08-22
CPC Classifications: B82Y,G01N,Y10S

Claim:
1. A method for forming three-dimensional (3-D) nano-particle assemblies, said method comprising: depositing a plurality of surface-enhanced spectroscopy (SES) elements onto respective tips of a plurality of nano-fingers, wherein the nano-fingers are arranged in sufficiently close proximities to each other to enable the tips of groups of adjacent ones of the nano-fingers to come into sufficiently close proximities to each other to enable the SES elements on the tips to be bonded together when the nano-fingers are partially collapsed; causing the nano-fingers to partially collapse toward adjacent ones of the nano-fingers to cause a plurality of SES elements on respective groups of the nano-fingers to be in relatively close proximities to each other and form respective clusters of SES elements; introducing additional particles that are to attach onto the clusters of SES elements; and causing the clusters of SES elements to detach from the nano-fingers.