Ion-Beam-Directed Self-Ordering of Ga Nanodroplets on GaAs Surfaces

Ordered nanodroplet arrays and aligned nanodroplet chains are fabricated using ion-beam-directed self-organization. The morphological evolution of nanodroplets formed on GaAs (100) substrates under ion beam bombardment is characterized by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Ordered Ga nanodroplets are self-assembled under ion beam bombardment at off-normal incidence angles. The uniformity, size, and density of Ga nanodroplets can be tuned by the incident angles of ion beam. The ion beam current also plays a critical role in the self-ordering of Ga nanodroplets, and it is found that the droplets exhibit a similar droplet size but higher density and better uniformity with increasing the ion beam current. In addition, more complex arrangements of nanodroplets are achieved via in situ patterning and ion-beam-directed migration of Ga atoms. Particularly, compared to the destructive formation of nanodroplets through direct ion beam bombardment, the controllable assembly of nanodroplets on intact surfaces can be used as templates for fabrication of ordered semiconductor nanostructures by droplet epitaxy.