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Investigation of the factors influencing nanostructure array growth by PLD towards reproducible wafer‐scale growth
Author(s) -
Sandana Vinod E.,
Rogers David. J.,
Teherani Féréchteh Hosseini,
Bove Philippe,
Razeghi Manijeh
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
physica status solidi (a)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.532
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1862-6319
pISSN - 1862-6300
DOI - 10.1002/pssa.201300497
Subject(s) - nanostructure , materials science , wafer , nanotechnology , nanoscopic scale , optoelectronics , pulsed laser deposition , deposition (geology) , laser , optics , thin film , paleontology , physics , sediment , biology
The growth of catalyst‐free ZnO nanostructure arrays on silicon (111) substrates by pulsed laser deposition was investigated. Without an underlayer, randomly oriented, micron‐scale structures were obtained. Introduction of a c ‐axis oriented ZnO underlayer resulted in denser arrays of vertically oriented nanostructures with either tapering, vertical‐walled or broadening forms, depending on background Ar pressure. Nanostructure pitch seemed to be determined by underlayer grain size while nanostructure widths could be narrowed from ∼100–500 to ∼10–50 nm by a 50 °C increase in growth temperature. A dimpled underlayer topography correlated with the moth‐eye type arrays while a more granular surface was linked to vertically walled nanocolumns. Between‐wafer reproducibility was demonstrated for both moth‐eye and vertical nanocolumn arrays. Broadening nanostructures proved difficult to replicate, however. Full 2 inch wafer coverage was obtained by rastering the target with the laser beam.