Al2O3(1120) surface as a template for the ordered growth of Ni and Co nanoclusters.
The morphology and thermal stability of Ni and Co nanoclusters grown by physical vapour deposition on a reconstructed (1120) surface of α-Al(2)O(3) is investigated using non-contact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM). NC-AFM images reveal that the clean α-Al(2)O(3)(1120) substrate adopts a characteristic (12 × 4) reconstruction when prepared in vacuum at high temperature. Subsequent deposition of Ni and Co onto this substrate at room temperature facilitates the growth of well-ordered metal nanocluster arrays with a preferred inter-cluster distance determined by the (12 × 4) periodicity of the substrate surface. The order in the cluster arrangement remains intact even upon annealing the system to temperatures up to 500 °C indicating a high resistance against sintering. The reconstructed α-Al(2)O(3)(1120) surface can, therefore, serve as an appropriate insulating template for studies of size-dependent magnetic or catalytic effects in a well-defined ensemble of metallic nanoclusters.
Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), University of Aarhus, Ny Munkegade 118, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
Krithika
K
Venkataramani
Thomas N
TN
Jensen
Stig
S
Helveg
Michael
M
Reichling
Flemming
F
Besenbacher
Jeppe V
JV
Lauritsen