Focused-ion-beam directed self-assembly of Cu2O islands on SrTiO3(100)

Nanoscale islands of Cu2O have been synthesized on single-crystal SrTiO3 (100) substrates using oxygen plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE). Island growth location has been controlled by using an ex situ Ga+ focused ion beam (FIB) to modify the growth surface in discrete locations prior to island synthesis. The FIB modifications have generated surface topography with lateral dimensions of 150-200 nm. Ex situ atomic force microscopy study after island growth reveals that certain FIB substrate modification and MBE growth condition combinations lead to directed self-assembly of metal oxide islands at the edges of the FIB modified zones. (C) 2004 American Instsitute of Physics.