Highly ordered one-dimensional arrays of nanodots, or nanobeads, are fabricated by forming nanoripples and nanodots in sequence, entirely by ion-beamsputtering (IBS) of Au(001). This demonstrates the capability of IBS for the fabrication of sophisticated nanostructures via hierarchical self-assembly. The intricate nanobead pattern ideally serves to identify the governing mechanisms for the pattern formation: Non-linear effects, especially local redeposition and surface-confined transport, are essential both for the formation and the preservation of the pattern order.
@article{arxiv.1102.2142,
title = {One-dimensional pattern of Au nanodots by ion-beam-sputtering: formation and mechanism},
author = {J-H Kim and N-B Ha and J-S Kim and M Joe and K-R Lee and R. Cuerno},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1102.2142},
year = {2015}
}