Simulation of Photocatalytic Gold Growth on Resonant Optical Templates

In neuronal networks, the capability of dynamic stimulus-controlled formation and dissolution of network connections is an important factor for efficiency. In biological neural networks, fast-reacting local synaptic network connections are combined with the slower and long-range growth of global axon connections. Connections are formed in an interplay of self-organized, parallel connections and genetically predetermined self-similar blueprints. We aim to mimic the growth of axons by photocatalytic metal line formation from solution. Optical template substrates serve as two-dimensional technical network blueprints. Titanium dioxide (TiO
2
) is used as the resonant optical layer on a glass substrate because of its high refractive index and its well-known photocatalytic properties [1]. A simulation approach for estimating the photocatalytic gold growth from solution is introduced. The influence of material, geometric and illumination properties is analyzed and results are compared to experimental findings.