Advanced Optoelectronic Applications of Nanopillar Arrays Fabricated by Glancing Angle Deposition

Glancing angle deposition (GLAD) is a unique physical vapor deposition technique to enable wafer-scale production of close-packed nanopillar arrays (NaPAs) made of a wide range of inorganic and organic materials and engineerable structures, offering great potential for advanced optoelectronic applications. By flexibly controlling substrate rotation during GLAD, this technique enables intricate sculpture of nanopillars in vertical/tilted column, helix, zigzag, and square spiral shapes or a combination of these shapes along the vertical growth axis. In particular, NaPAs exhibit unique engineerability in their material/structure-determined optical, electronic, chemical, mechanical, and morphological properties, making them versatile for significant applications in photovoltaics, photodetection, photocatalysis, and advanced displaying. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in optoelectronic applications of GLAD-fabricated NaPAs by exploring the relationship between structural features and device functionality. Additionally, we discuss the technical challenges associated with GLAD, such as scalability, material compatibility, and fabrication precision, and address prospects to produce next-generation optoelectronic devices.