Step faceting and the self-assembly of nanoislands on miscut YSZ(001) surfaces

• Published in: Applied surface science Vol. 407; pp. 192 - 196
• Main Authors: Niu, Zhiyuan, Ansari, Haris M., Chowdhury, Enam A., Dregia, Suliman A., Akbar, Sheikh A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15.06.2017
• Subjects: Nanoislands; Self-assembly; Surface patterning; Surface steps; YSZ; Surface steps; YSZ; Self-assembly; Surface patterning; Nanoislands
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2017.02.165

[Display omitted] •A self-assembly-based strategy for fabrication of nano-structures with long-range alignment in a new class of high-temperature technologically important ceramic.•A novel step faceting induced by doping which opens a new avenue for surface patterning that has implications on adsorption, catalysis and many other surface-reaction phenomena.•Simplicity and scalability of the process; the source/dopant deposition can be as simple as sprinkling source materials as powders on a properly chosen substrate/template. The template is prepared simply by off-axis polishing and pre-annealing. Ordered surface step arrays were successfully prepared on two different types of miscut yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) substrates via one-step pre-annealing. These steps were subsequently used as templates for the self-assembly of the nanoislands, which results in significantly improved alignment of the islands along the step direction. Additionally, a unique step faceting phenomenon at island growth front was observed only on the (001)–[100] miscut YSZ substrates. Preliminary investigation indicates that this faceting is induced by doping via surface diffusion, while the elastic interaction between the faceted steps also plays an important role.