Self Assembled Patterns of Gold Nanoclusters in Silicon (100) Produced by Metal Vapour Vacuum Arc Ion Implantation
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0960-N11-04
Self Assembled Patterns of Gold Nanoclusters in Silicon (100) Produced by Metal Vapour Vacuum Arc Ion Implantation Dinesh Kumar Venkatachalam1, Dinesh Kumar Sood1,2, and Suresh Kumar Bhargava1 1 School of Applied Sciences, RMIT University, 124, La Trobe Street, Melbourne, 3001, Australia 2 School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, RMIT University, 124, La Trobe Street, Melbourne, 3001, Australia
ABSTRACT Self assembled gold nanoclusters are attractive building blocks for future nanoscale sensors and optical devices due to their exciting catalytic properties. Recently several methods have been employed to produce nanoclusters on solid substrates, which result in a random spatial distribution of the clusters. In this work, we have achieved ordered circular patterns of gold nanoclusters in Silicon (100) substrates by Au ion implantation followed by thermal annealing. This unique phenomenon is observed only above a critical threshold implantation dose and annealing temperature. Based on a systematic study (SEM, XTEM and XRD) of the growth and morphology of the nanoclusters, we propose a tentative model for the formation mechanism of this unusual self-assembled pattern. INTRODUCTION Self-assembly processes occurring at all scales are common in nature and technology [1]. Self-assembly is already a widely accepted strategy for materials synthesis and fabrication. The application of nanoparticles strongly depends on their assembly in ordered one- or twodimensional arrangements. These arrangements may play an important role in electronic devices and other potential applications. However, for self-assembly to generate structures more complex than simple crystals, different components in a mixture must come together in an ordered way. To achieve such patterning of nanoparticles, several approaches have been reported such as chemical self-assembly techniques [2-5], a variety of template assisted growth [6], direct thermal patterning [7], Dip-pen Nanolithography [8], Nanopantogaphy [9], Near-Field optical desorption technique [10], Ion beam induced dewetting [11] and high dose ion implantation. The fabrication methods currently used in the microelectronics industry, particularly photolithography, will soon reach their fundamental physical limit and alternative new approaches are required. While major progress has been made in fabricating nanoparticles and in controlling self-assembly of thin films through top-down approaches, a general direct bottom-up method is still not available. In this context, ion implantation is a promising technique due to its ability to form surface embedded nanoparticles providing better adhesion. Also, being an integral part of the substrate lattice the nanoclusters formed by ion implantation are free from impurities and their size distributions can be accurately controlled by optimizing ion beam parameters [12]. In this work, we report direct (maskless) bottom-up formation of self-assembled patterns of gold nanoclusters on Si by Au ion implantation and subsequent annealing.
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