Nanosphere lithography -- exploiting self-assembly on the nanoscale for sophisticated nanostructure fabrication

We demonstrate the fabrication of sophisticated nanostructures using nanosphere lithography (NSL). These include periodic triangular and pyramidal islands as well as periodically perforated thin films and cavities on the nano- and microscale. Furthermore, periodic arrays of vertically standing multiwalled carbon nanotubes are grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition from catalyst islands that were prepatterned by NSL. Moreover, we discuss the applicability of NSL to rough surfaces and show that the ratio between nanosphere size and roughness is determinant of the resulting nanostructure produced. Excellent, limited, and bad applicability of NSL are shown for smooth, rough, and very rough surfaces, respectively. Finally, we demonstrate that NSL is applicable to orthopedic implants. The results of this work will facilitate the fabrication of different nanostructured surfaces with well-defined morphologies and properties towards the customized rational design of medically relevant surfaces.