Nanoporous Structure Formation on the Surface of InSb by Ion Beam Irradiation

Nanoporous structures have a great potential for application in electronic and photonic materials, including field effect transistors, photonic crystals, and quantum dots. The control of size and shape is important for such applications. In this study, nanoporous structure formation on the indium antimonide (InSb) surface was investigated using controlled focused ion beam irradiation. Upon increasing the ion dose, the structures grew larger, and the shapes changed from voids to pillars. The structures also became larger when the ion flux (high-dose) and accelerating voltage were increased. The structure grew obliquely on the substrate by following the ion beam irradiation of 45°. The shapes of the structures formed by superimposed ion beam irradiation were affected by primary irradiation conditions. The nanostructural features on the InSb surface were easy to control by changing the ion beam conditions.