Growth of Metal Nanowhiskers on Patterned Substrate by High-Temperature Glancing Angle Deposition

Abstract

In this study, we carry out high-temperature glancing angle deposition (HT-GLAD) of Fe and Al on a heated substrate with trench patterns. When vapor is incident perpendicular to the trench direction, nanowhiskers grow only on the surface exposed to the vapor and not inside the trenches. On the other hand, when vapor is incident at a glancing angle on the sidewall of the trench and not on the substrate surface, nanowhiskers grow only on the sidewall, since the condition of deposition at high temperature and a glancing angle is satisfied only for the sidewall. Thus, we succeed the selective growth of nanowhiskers by controlling the geometrical deposition conditions. Further, we also discuss the effect of the local deposition geometry on the growth process. Geometrically selective growth by HT-GLAD is expected to be useful for growing nanowhiskers on nano- and microstructured substrates.

Polymeric nanocomposites reinforced with nanowhiskers: Design, development, and emerging applications

“…Zinc, silver, gold, aluminum, lead, indium, and tin nanowhiskers are discussed in the literature. 14,15 Nanowhiskers' growth is enhanced at 85% relative humidity. The growth rates up to 9 mm yr À1 and diameters less than 100 nm were achieved, although the exact mechanism of metallic nanowhisker growth has not been established yet.…”