Study of gold CD-Rs as a surface for nanotechnology applications

CHED 485

Daniel C. Dewey, ddewey@ycp.edu, Chemistry, York College of Pennsylvania, Physical Science Department, Country Club Road, York, PA 17405-7199 and Gregory P. Foy, gfoy@ycp.edu, Physical Sciences Department, York College of Pennsylvania, Country Club Road, York, PA 17405.
This project is an investigation into the use of gold CD-Rs in place of gold sputter-coated steel pucks following some of the work of Hua-Zhong Yu. Gold CD-Rs are stripped of their protective layers to leave a thin gold layer on a polycarbonate backing. The study also aims to follow with potential applications of the gold CD-R samples in the creation of a nanoscale electrical insulator through use of a self-assembled monolayer. The insulator will be created through a multi-step process, first binding the monolayer to the gold substrate, and then adjusting the functionality of the monolayer. An evaporated gold layer will be the final step.