Ion beam-induced nanostructuring of InSb(0 0 1) surfaces studied with atomic force microscopy

摘要

Morphology evolution of the InSb(0 0 1) surface due to ion bombardment has been studied with atomic force microscopy in UHV. The initially clean surface, composed of large, atomically flat terraces has been modified with a 4 keV Ar~+ ion beam incident at oblique angle. During the ion irradiation, the evolution of surface morphological features from small dots to the stage of development of long wires has been observed. The wires with the width of 50-70 nm and the length up to few microns are parallel to the projection of the ion beam on the irradiated surface and are incorporated into a flat amorphous substrate. It has been found that the surface relaxation process due to the surface diffusion of adparticles promotes the observed surface modification. Based on the concept of interplay between a roughing (erosion) and a smoothing (diffusion) process the observed surface morphologies have been explained.