Improvement in the reduction of silver ions in aqueous solution using two-photon sensitive dye

The reduction properties of silver ions in aqueous solution were improved with a two-photon sensitive dye. Excitation of the dye through a two-photon absorption process allowed a low laser power to trigger the reduction of silver ions, and sub-diffraction-limit fabrication was realized. An electrically conductive silver wire with a minimum width of 400 nm was achieved. The authors also demonstrated the fabrication of self-standing three-dimensional silver microstructures with arbitrary shapes on a glass substrate. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.