Self-assembly based nanometer-scale patterning for nanowire growth

摘要

Periodic nanostructure arrays have been ubiquitously exploited lately due to their properties and prospective applications in production of templates for self-induced and gold (Au)-catalysed nanowires (NWs), because this approach is relatively cheap, time-efficient and do not require electron beam lithography. The technique consists creating nanoholes in SiO_2 to expose the silicon Si (111) beneath where self-induced NWs can nucleate, while nanodots deposited onto the Si (111) surface serve as catalyst seeds. For Au-catalysed NWs, a monolayer of self-assembled polystyrene nanospheres (PNS 300nm) was created on a 2 inch Si wafer by spin coating and later etched for a short time before a very thin Au-catalyst layer was deposited. In turn, for self-induced, PNS monolayer was created onto a SiO_2-Si substrate. A longer etch was required to reduce PNS diameter significantly to leave relatively larger spacing where chromium is blanket deposited. PNS were lifted off by sonicating the samples in toluene produce the periodic arrays of nanodots and nanoholes, respectively. The underlying SiO_2 was etched further through the nanoholes to uncover the Si below. 200 ran holes and 30-70 ran dots were demonstrated through the bespoke methods. The patterned substrates served as master templates, subsequently copied using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to produce a flexible stamp for nanoimprint lithography. A bi-layer resist lift off process was developed to print the replicated nanodots or nanoholes on large-area substrates onto which Ⅲ-Ⅴ NWs can be grown.