A facile fabrication of Au nanoballs on ZnO shell Array based on nanosphere lithography for enhancement of optical properties

Abstract Noble metals nanoparticles (NMNPs) due to unique physical and chemical properties have attracted intense scientific interest for wide applications. Nanosphere lithography demonstrates a feasible strategy to achieve various metal nanostructures. In this paper, ZnO array is fabricated by magnetron sputtering method based on self-assemble polystyrene spheres (PSs) array. The thermal decomposition is used to achieve ZnO shell arrays by removing polystyrene spheres (PSs). The size of ZnO shell arrays can be controlled by changing the size of PS spheres. Disordered Au nanoballs coated on ZnO shell array are fabricated by electron beam deposition and the thermal decomposition to enhance optical properties of ZnO shell array. Optical properties, Morphology and chemical composition of Au nanoballs coated on ZnO shell array are analyzed by UV–vis Spectrophotometer, SEM and XRD. Based on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the metal nanoparticles, the optical properties of ZnO shell array are enhanced by disordered Au nanoballs. Hence, it can be potentially applied in related optoelectronic devices.