Shape Evolution In Glancing Angle Deposition Of Arranged Germanium Nanocolumns

The temporal shape evolution in glancing angle deposition was examined for a-Ge nanocolumns on honeycomb templates. The column shape formation is closely related to the particular stage of deposition and two shape regions were observed. (1) A broadening shape develops in the initial stage. Interdistance deposits were found to result from insufficient shadowing of the early nanostructures. On top of the nanocolumns, a characteristic cap is observed, which results from next-neighbor shadowing. (2) When the equilibrium cross-section shape is reached, a columnar region with parallel border planes follows. The shape of the cross-section can be tuned from triangular to hexagonal/round by adjusting the honeycomb lattice periodicity and the deposition angle. Based on quantitative investing on the axial sizes of the shape regions, conclusions regarding the influencing growth processes in glancing angle deposition on pre-patterned substrates are drawn. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4719978]