title: Directed self-assembly of nanorod networks: bringing the top down to the bottom up.
abstract: Self-assembled electrodeposited nanorod materials have been shown to offer an exciting landscape for a wide array of research ranging from nanophotonics through to biosensing and magnetics. However, until now, the scope for site-specific preparation of the nanorods on wafers has been limited to local area definition. Further there is little or no lateral control of nanorod height. In this work we present a scalable method for controlling the growth of the nanorods in the vertical direction as well as their lateral position. A focused ion beam pre-patterns the Au cathode layer prior to the creation of the anodized aluminium oxide (AAO) template on top. When the pre-patterning is of the same dimension as the pore spacing of the AAO template, lines of single nanorods are successfully grown. Further, for sub-200 nm wide features, a relationship between the nanorod height and distance from the non-patterned cathode can be seen to follow a quadratic growth rate obeying Faraday's law of electrodeposition. This facilitates lateral control of nanorod height combined with localized growth of the nanorods.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nanostructured Media, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK. j.einsle@qub.ac.uk
authors.forename: Joshua F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Einsle
authors.forename: Gunther
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scheunert
authors.forename: Antony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McPhillips
authors.forename: Anatoly V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Zayats
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pollard
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Bowman