Array ordering of nanodiamonds with nitrogen-vacancy centers using porous anodized aluminum oxide (PAAO) templates is studied. Particle sorting and array formation are demonstrated with a polydisperse suspension of irregularly shaped diamonds with 28 nm number mean value diameter. The assembly is governed by a balance of withdrawal speed and evaporation driven particle flux, which is influenced by the asperities of the PAAO surface during the capillary and convective assembly dip-coating process. The resulting structures are dense (50 nm average center separation) isolated (non-touching) nanoparticle arrays with a size distribution that matches the topology of the template surface. The fluorescence signal is detected from arrays with an approximately 1:1 particle/pore filling ratio.
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