Nanopatterning surfaces by grazing incidence swift heavy ion irradiation

Abstract Nanopatterned surfaces play a key role for many applications exploiting unique features such as an enhanced surface area, long- and short-ranged morphology modulations or spatial variation of electronic chemical properties. Ion beam irradiation has been frequently used nanostructuring bulk materials because it is efficient, fast, cost-effective. In this paper we show that ion under extremely grazing incidence in conjunction with other scalable processing methods wet etching thermal annealing, perfect tool nanopatterning dielectric surfaces. We demonstrate by tuning energy fluence, one can select different nanopattern morphologies like individual chains nanohillocks, nanostripes, nanoscaled ripples. Furthermore, the irradiated be to create negative replica only material making up track susceptible process thus removed. Also, removal achieved annealing vacuum. All these presented strategies open new ways achieving control over nanoscale modifications using swift heavy beams.