Six Emerging Directions in Sculptured-Thin-Film Research

Abstract

Sculptured thin films (STFs) are assemblies of shaped, parallel, identical nanowires generally grown by vapor deposition techniques on substrates. Their optical applications have advanced significantly during the last decade, and several new directions have begun to emerge in the past two years. These include: (a) STF light emitters; (b) STFs with optical gain; (c) electrically controlled STFs; (d) deposition of polymeric STFs by replamineform, multibeam lithographic, and mixed vapor deposition techniques; (e) growth of bioscaffolds on STFs; and (f) STFs with transverse architectures.