Structure fabrication using nanoparticles

1. A method performed under the control of at least one apparatus for fabricating a structure from nanoparticles, the method comprising:

supplying a plurality of solid nanoparticles electrically charged with a first polarity in proximity to a particle collection device having a planar surface on a portion thereof, the solid nanoparticles having a three-dimensional shape and comprising an inorganic material;

electrically charging the planar surface of the particle collection device with a second polarity opposite the first polarity, so as to collect the supplied nanoparticles onto at least a portion of the planar surface of the particle collection device;

positioning the planar surface of the particle collection device to be juxtaposed to a base structure; and

transferring the nanoparticles collected on the planar surface of the particle collection device onto at least a portion of the base structure.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transferring comprises electrically charging the planar surface of the particle collection device with the first polarity.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the transferring further comprises electrically charging the base structure with the second polarity.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transferring comprises:

electrically charging the base structure with the second polarity; and

discharging the planar surface of the particle collection device of the second polarity.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein supplying the electrically charged nanoparticles comprises spraying the plurality of nanoparticles in proximity to the particle collection device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein supplying the electrically charged nanoparticles comprises immersing the particle collection device in a solution including the plurality of nanoparticles.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein supplying the electrically charged nanoparticles comprises spin-coating a solution including the plurality of nanoparticles onto at least a portion of the planar surface of the particle collection device.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying a solution including metal ions onto the nanoparticles transferred onto the base structure.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising heating the nanoparticles transferred onto the base structure.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transferring the nanoparticles from the base structure to another base structure.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the base structure is made from a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, silicon oxide, quartz, glass, and elastomeric polymers.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particle collection device comprises:

a substrate; and

an electrode disposed on the substrate and defining the planar surface.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrode is made from a material selected from the group consisting of metal, metal oxide, metal nitride, metal selenide, metal sulfide, and polycrystalline silicon.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles are made from a material selected from the group consisting of indium oxide, tungsten oxide, tin oxide, indium tin oxide (ITO), and zinc tin oxide (ZTO).

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the supplying comprises coating the plurality of nanoparticles with at least one ligand.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional shape is selected from the group consisting of a sphere, a disk, a rod, a tube, and combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising agglomerating the plurality of nanoparticles to form a film.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the agglomerating comprises at least one of annealing, sintering, or calcining the plurality of nanoparticles.