title: Creation of multiple nanodots by single ions.
abstract: In the search to develop tools that are able to modify surfaces on the nanometre scale, the use of heavy ions with energies of several tens of MeV is becoming more attractive. Low-energy ions are mostly stopped by nuclei, which causes the energy to be dissipated over a large volume. In the high-energy regime, however, the ions are stopped by electronic excitations, and the extremely local (approximately 10 nm3) nature of the energy deposition leads to the creation of nanosized 'hillocks' or nanodots under normal incidence. Usually, each nanodot results from the impact of a single ion, and the dots are randomly distributed. Here we demonstrate that multiple, equally spaced dots, each separated by a few tens of nanometres, can be created if a single high-energy xenon ion strikes the surface at a grazing angle. By varying this angle, the number of dots, as well as their spacing, can be controlled.
authors.forename: Ender
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Akcöltekin
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Duvenbeck
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klusmann
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Monnet
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lebius
authors.forename: Marika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schleberger
mesh_terms: D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D007477:Ions; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D054118:Nanospheres / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D010316:Particle Size; D013324:Strontium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D007477:Ions; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D010087:Oxides; D014025:Titanium; C119252:strontium titanium oxide; D013324:Strontium