Abstract
In scanning tunnelling microscope images of thin Al2O3-films grown on Ni3Al(111) at 1000 K twosuper-lattices with periodicities of 2.6 and 4.5 nm, respectively,can be identified. These well-ordered nanostructures can be usedas nucleation centres for metal particle growth. It can be shownthat both nanostructures act as a template for the fabrication ofordered assemblies of metal clusters by mere physical vapourdeposition. The degree of ordering of these nanostructures islargely dependent on the metal deposited. Here we report on thegrowth of Cu, Ag, Au, Mn, and V clusters on the Al2O3-films. The best results as far as ordering of theclusters is concerned was reached for V deposition at 550 K, whichresulted in a nearly perfect hexagonal array of clusters with aspacing of 2.6 nm.
Highlights
The realization of ordered arrays of well-defined, sized nanoclusters is the goal of many efforts in view of the development of new electronic and optoelectronic devices
A variety of methods has been successfully applied to the problem of nanofabrication such as laser-beam assisted deposition [1], deposition of colloidal particles [2], electron beam lithography [3], and atomic manipulation with the scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) [4]
In the present investigation we show that this approach is applicable to the growth of ordered nanoscale arrays of metal clusters on oxide surfaces: here, in particular, thin alumina films on Ni3Al(111)
Summary
The realization of ordered arrays of well-defined, sized (monodisperse) nanoclusters is the goal of many efforts in view of the development of new electronic and optoelectronic devices. Such cluster arrays would be helpful for the study of the basic mechanisms. A variety of methods has been successfully applied to the problem of nanofabrication such as laser-beam assisted deposition [1], deposition of colloidal particles [2], electron beam lithography [3], and atomic manipulation with the scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) [4] While the latter two techniques share the high lateral resolution they both rely on a time consuming serial fabrication process. In this respect the former two methods are more apt for the fabrication of nanostructured surfaces; they are limited to lateral dimensions larger than 10 nm
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