I have gold bowtie nanoantenna which are on top of SiO2 pillars. After I etch my gold, I have some gold left on the surface (SEMs attached). As the pillars are very thin, I can not do a long time sonication, otherwise, the pillars fall down. Is there any other way that I can use to get rid off this gold residue from my sample surface? Thanks in advance.
How about increasing the Au etching time? Etching in KI/I2 solution for 1 or 2 minutes can completely remove Au particles or thin film. At least it worked for me.
Thanks for the answer. But increasing etching time has an effect on my SiO2 pillars and also surface tension plays a role on that as well.
Have you considered simply using aqua regia? The acid should only affect the gold and leave the SiO2 pillars intact.
Dear Dr Abdull Bhuiya
Recent methods to extract gold is by using PIONERA’s BioPolymers which are versatile additives that are effective of extracting gold. If this does not suitable, you know that Mercury is used to extract gold by reacting with mercury and forming an amalgum. I think the gold particles at the top of the SiO2 thin pillars at the surface of the specimen will have the chance to make amalgum with mercury and you will get rid of these particles. I hope it will not spoil your substrate. The amalgum is then heated to extract gold (if you wish) and the evaporated mercury is cooled and collected for other usage. Be careful, mercury is very toxic.
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