title: Step-edge induced ordered growth: targeting to assemble super long horizontal nanowire alignment in large-scale.
abstract: Nowadays, the development of nano-synthesis has turned to controllable design for specific demands in micro-nano device application, to be integrated into functional units more conveniently with low-cost and efficiency principles. In this case, an appropriate approach for directly obtaining horizontally aligned nanowires in a large scale would be of great significance in future micro-nano device integration. Here, on the HOPG surface, we managed to achieve this. The approach is versatile to various kinds of materials. Horizontally aligned nanowires of Al-C based materials, such as Al4C3 and Al4O4C, were achieved. All of the nanowires exhibit a high degree ordered alignments and possess super aspect ratios with uniform widths of about 100 nm and lengths on the millimeter level. We believe the assembly mechanism lies in a step-edge induced ordered growth process, through which quaternary Al-Si-O-C nanoball alignment could also be obtained. It is expected that this method could be beneficial to adjust many useful materials for micro device integration in the future.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Physics Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: C X
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Wang